Definition of Happiness
by What About Love
Summary: Happiness is so beautiful once it is found. But what does it take to define happiness? Will/Karen
1. Chapter 1

They had only done it once, only once. They had allowed passion to overtake them, and he was suddenly inside of her. They made love. It was a beautiful evening that had since been painted over. Besides, her husband had just come back from prison, and she had to work on her marriage again. She was thirty-eight years old, and she knew that it could be her last chance at marriage. It was also her second chance at happiness.

Will and Karen…It sounded so formal. Maybe didn't have an odd tune to it like Will and Grace, but it sounded softer. She wasn't with him, never could be because it wasn't logical. It was during the last weeks that Stan was in prison that it all really began.

She had come to his office to sign some paperwork for Walker Inc. when a conversation began, casual and completely off subject. They had always been friends, for one reason or another, but that afternoon was different. She could probably have counted on one hand the number of times that she had ever placed her lips upon his, but for some reason, they kissed. It was sensual and full of fire, until they pulled away, so confused. She quickly left, and they thought it was the end of that chapter, to be forgotten.

The next few times they spoke were awkward, each of them walking on eggshells around the other. With Grace and Jack always scheduling group evenings and movie nights, it was difficult to avoid each other for long. They finally spoke about the kiss, agreeing that it meant nothing, but before long she was panting beneath his flesh, lips burning from his kiss. And that was it. That was all it took for their lives to change, whether or not it was for the better.

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Stan had been away for nearly a month, leaving her frustrated. They were supposed to be working on their marriage, not running away from it. That's what he always did, he ran away. He ran to another woman when things got rough between them, and when things got rough at home he left on a business trip. Yes, she knew about his mistress. She continued to say nothing, hoping it was only a phase. Maybe she wasn't ready to give their relationship another try, it wasn't worth it. What made her think it would work if nothing ever got fixed?

"Karebear, you look a little pale. How are those crab-cakes treating you?" She swallowed hard, keeping herself together.

"Not well, honey. Maybe we should stop eating here. I got sick last time too." She pushed her plate away and sat back in her chair, taking a deep breath. "Are you ready to go? I don't like getting sick in public."

"Yeah, I'm ready." They paid their bill and were soon in the limo, on their way to her manse. "So, how are things with Stan? You hardly ever talk about it."

"I guess things are the same. We don't talk much." She felt a strange feeling pouring off of him and decided to address it. "Poodle, are you sad about something?"

"A little bit. I mean, Elliot moved away, and I'm not dating anyone right now. I guess things are just getting lonely."

"Honey, you still have me. I may not be able to do a few things for you, but I'm always good company. Well, unless I'm passed out or something." They smiled at one another, Karen's face still pale. She took a deep breath and cleared her voice, feeling nauseated. She rolled down her window and took a deep breath of the air outside.

"Maybe you should see a doctor."

"No, honey it's probably just that damned restaurant. Can we talk about something else?" He changed the subject many times on the way back to the manse, distracting her from the rising nausea in her system. However, as soon as they walked through the front door, she rushed to her bathroom to empty the contents of her stomach. Jack walked up the stairs to her bedroom and pulled her bed back, knowing that she would want to lie down. She soon appeared in the doorway, dizzy.

"Do you feel better?" She shook her head and walked into her other bathroom to brush her teeth. Jack got a pair of her pajamas from her closet and laid them out on her bed. He then kicked his shoes off and climbed into the side that Stan would normally occupy, waiting for her.

"I don't have time for a nap, Poodle. We're going to dinner at Will and Grace's tonight."

"I'll text message Will and see if we can reschedule. I can tell you feel terrible." She walked over to her bed and folded her pajamas, laying them aside.

"No, honey, I want to go. I need to have some fun."

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She watched his hands as he set the table. They were the same hands that had touched her flesh, ever so gently. They were the same fingers that ran through her hair when their orgasms struck them, the same hands that caressed her bare breasts. She watched his hips as he walked back into the kitchen, remembering the way he moved in between her legs. She shifted uncomfortably in her chair, biting her bottom lip, as she reminded herself it was a one time thing. He was gay, and that was that.

Dinner went well until she actually had to eat something. After the first few bites of her pasta she ran to the bathroom, getting sick. Jack shrugged at Will and Grace and told them that he thought she had food poisoning. They didn't ask any questions when she returned, knowing that Jack was taking care of her.

Grace had a meeting early the next morning so she left all of them with a kiss goodnight, retiring to her room for the evening. Karen was sitting on the couch, her head resting on the back. She was still feeling sick to her stomach, but she thought she could feel it beginning to pass. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Karen, wake up." She opened her eyes to find Will hovering over her face, a hand on her cheek. He gave a soft smile, noticing the sparkle in her eyes. "You fell asleep."

"What time is it, honey?"

"Two o'clock." She sighed and leaned up, allowing him to move away from her. She quickly stood to get her coat and purse, but suddenly her nausea was back. She rushed to the bathroom and vomited, for the fourth time that evening. Will waited for her to finish, laying a blanket and pillow on the couch. She returned to the room a few minutes later, her face flushed. "Why don't you stay here tonight?"

"No, I'll be fine. Thanks." She tried to walk past him, but he stopped her, his hand on her arm. She looked at his hand, feeling a small spark.

"Please stay. You're sick, and I don't think you should be alone." She scoffed and removed his hand from her arm.

"I'm not a child, honey. I've been sick before."

"Please. You can have my bed; I'll sleep on the couch." She bit her lip, thinking for a moment. It was late and she was so tired. Without too much argument, she nodded.

"Thank you, Will."

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She lay down in his bed, feeling the softness of his blankets. She took a deep breath, taking in the scent of his pillow. It was the place where they had made love, his bedroom. She still remembered the warmth of that evening, knowing she would never be able to forget. She turned off the light and sighed, smiling into the dark, before closing her eyes and falling asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

After a few days of food poisoning, Karen decided that it was time to get back to work. She knew that it didn't matter much to Grace, but she felt so useless when she was stuck at home all the time. She walked into the office and smiled, hoping she was the only one who knew she was still feeling ill. Grace smiled.

"I'm glad you're here, Kare. How are you feeling?" She sat down at her desk and waved her hand in her friend's direction.

"Oh, honey, it was just a little stomach trouble. What's new?"

"Well, I have an office to refurnish a few blocks away, and I just got off the phone with a woman who wants me to, get this, design her entire house in New Jersey. And it's a two-story house. That's a lot of cash."

"Wow. So, do you want me to get out of here so you can get some work done?" She began to stand, but Grace laughed.

"No, actually, I could use some help." They spent the rest of the workday going through colors, furniture catalogues, and design ideas. By the end of the day she was so exhausted that she almost fell asleep at her desk. Jack walked into the office, clapping and smiling.

"Where's Grace?"

"She went to lunch. Why, honey?" He hopped over to her desk and smiled, taking her hand in his.

"I just saw Will with this really hot guy, and they were hugging. I think he was on a lunch date. Oh, finally, the fatty is beginning to live." She rolled her eyes at his odd excitement.

"You came all the way over here just to bring gossip about Will?"

"Duh, Karen, don't you know me?" They laughed until suddenly she felt a wave rush through her stomach. She swallowed hard, smiling to cover her nausea. It hadn't happened all day, but just as quickly as it disappeared, it was back. "I have to gossip about him because my life is boring right now."

"Don't worry, honey, his still is too." She took a deep breath, still trying to maintain a smile. But she couldn't take it anymore, it was too much. Her bottom lip slightly quivered.

"Karen?" She stood from the desk and ran to the bathroom, barely making it in time. Jack watched as she left the room to empty her stomach. He had trouble believing that it was still food poisoning. He left for the small convenience store on the corner.

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"Poodle, this is ridiculous." She whined as he handed her a small box. "I'm not pregnant. Stan has been gone for almost a month, I'm sure I would have known by now." Even as she said the words she began to feel doubt. Some women didn't know they were pregnant for months, she was no exception.

"But what if you are? Are your periods regular?" She rolled her eyes, refusing to have that conversation with him. She gave him a look, not at all amused by his inquiry.

"I'll be back." A few minutes later, Jack and Karen were seated at her desk, waiting for the timer to go off. She was tapping her foot nervously, and he was holding her hand in reassurance. When the timer finally did ring, they stood and rushed over to the two pregnancy tests on Grace's desk. "Honey, what color is negative again?"

"Pink." He held up his test, revealing the pink end. He shrugged. "I guess it makes sense. What's yours?" She cleared her voice.

"Blue."

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"I'm pregnant, Jack." She stared into space, her voice barely above a whisper. She bit her bottom lip as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Karebear, this is great. We're having a baby." He smiled, an attempt to bring cheer back to her features. She shook her head and restrained a small whimper. "Well, you can call Stan. He's going to be so happy." Her eyes met his in a chilling motion.

"I haven't had sex with him in months. How the hell could this baby be his?" Her voice was cold and bitter, sending a shock down his spine. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He always thought she was fully faithful to her husband, even though he knew her husband wasn't faithful to her.

"You're having an affair?"

"No. I only slept with him once." She ran her hands through her hair before placing them on her hips, nervously looking to the ceiling. Panic was rising more than ever in her stomach; it couldn't be happening.

"Whose is it?"

"It doesn't matter, honey. I'm not keeping it." She walked away from him and grabbed her purse from the floor. Jack was quick to stop her, taking her arm in his hand.

"No, you can't. Just because it didn't happen at the perfect time in your life doesn't mean you have to just get rid of it. At least think about it first." She took a deep breath and finally let her tears fall, unable to hold back any longer. He took her in his arms and held her small frame as her sobs shook them. He had only seen her cry a few times, but never so hard. He held her close, wanting to take away her pain. Suddenly, she pushed him away, angrily wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"You can't tell anyone about this."

"I don't know if you've ever seen a pregnant woman before, but it gets pretty noticeable."

"Damn it, Jack, I'm serious. _This_ is serious." She ran a hand through her hair, obviously panicking more than before. She took a deep breath. "This is our new secret, like when you told me how you lost your virginity. It's something that we will never ever speak of, okay?"

"You're not even going to tell Will and Grace?"

"No!" She took a deep breath, calming herself. She didn't mean to sound so harsh, but she couldn't help it. Life had thrown her a curveball and she wasn't at all prepared. She cleared her voice. "No, honey, they can't know either."

"At least let me take you to the doctor, just to check everything out." He walked closer to her and took both of her hands in his. "Then we can figure out how to handle this. Okay?" She sniffled and tried her best to give him a smile. She knew how much he was trying to help, and she really appreciated it. And maybe he was right. Maybe she should take a little more time to make a decision.

"Okay, honey."


	3. Chapter 3

She was seated on a bench in Central Park, her hand in Jack's tight grip. She had known about her pregnancy for a week. Jack took her to the doctor for confirmation; he told her she was healthy and one and a half months along. She couldn't handle her thoughts, the darkness.

The facts: she cheated on her husband, pregnancy resulted, and her marriage was at risk. What could she do? She wasn't in the position to have a baby. She wasn't even sure if she wanted a baby. Stan would certainly disown her if he ever found out. She knew what she had to do.

A woman walked by her with a stroller, a small infant inside. She sat down next to her on the bench, lifting the baby and placing it on her shoulder. Karen's eyes met the baby's and her breathing hitched. The little blue eyes seemed to connect with her soul, questioning her mind. Jack squeezed her hand and she met his gaze.

"Are you ready?" She nodded and they both stood, walking away from the mother and child on the bench. She took one last look behind her, finally able to take a deep breath, before huddling closer to Jack.

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She lay on her back, the paper of the table beneath her crunching at her slight movement. She sighed. The white walls felt constricting, cold. She had chosen to get rid of the baby the moment she discovered she was pregnant. She wasn't cut out to be a mother, even though she used to carry it as a dream. It didn't fit in with her life anymore, her plans.

"Are you Karen Walker?" A doctor walked into the room, a nurse following.

"Yes." She listened to him begin explaining the procedure a little more before he asked her to scoot down to the edge of the table, placing her legs in the stirrups. She had always judged women for making the same decision she was making, never understanding how they really felt. He performed a routine checkup, making sure everything was in order. She bit her lip as he touched her. Her heart was racing as she realized that it wouldn't be long until it was gone, out of her. A baby, whom she had created, was going to be taken just as quickly as it had been conceived. But, for some reason, it suddenly didn't feel like it was just a baby, it was _her_ baby, her child. She had made her decision so quickly that she didn't take the proper time to deal with her emotions. She began to panic. The doctor stood from his stool to prepare for the procedure, but she closed her legs and sat up. "Stop."

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She hurriedly rushed into the waiting room, her eyes searching for Jack. He stood and opened his arms as she embraced him, crying into his shirt. For once in her life, she didn't care that all the people in the room could see her crying, showing emotion. She just needed his arms, the love of a close friend.

"What happened, Kare?"

"I couldn't do it, honey." Her words came in a whisper and he pulled her closer after the confession, slightly smiling. He couldn't tell her how relieved he was, glad she couldn't. It wasn't often that she showed how big her heart was.

"Let's get out of here."

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She stared at the reflection of streetlights on the wall of her bedroom. Sleep was something that hadn't been easy to find since she found out she was pregnant. It was difficult for her to ignore the excessive amount of emotions that were rupturing within her, making her feel so weak.

She looked over to a sleeping Jack. He insisted on spending the night with her after she had rushed them out of the abortion clinic. Maybe she would have done it if she hadn't seen the infant in the park, making eye contact with her. It was so cute; looked so soft and gentle. She couldn't help, but smile at the reminiscence of the little face. It felt like some kind of a sign.

She stood from her bed, put on her glasses, and walked downstairs for a snack. For obvious reasons, she hadn't been drinking, and it was often tempting her. Instead of giving in to her temptation, she prepared herself a mug of hot cocoa. She took a deep breath, the heat of the liquid invading her soul. She suddenly felt lighter than before.

What would Will think? He was undoubtedly the father of her unborn child. At first she was worried that he would be angry with her, but she quickly reminded herself that he was more rational than that. She just didn't know how on earth she could tell a gay man that their one night of passion had resulted in her pregnancy. It could ruin his life.

Then she thought, she didn't have to tell him right away. She still had time to think of a lie, even though she had no idea what it could possibly be. If she played her cards right, he wouldn't even have to know it was his.

No, that wasn't fair to him, nor the child. She couldn't just fail to tell him he was going to be a father. She was going to be a mother. The thought hit her in a harsh manner, making her feel oddly unarmed. She took a sip of her cocoa and sighed. What was she going to tell her husband?


	4. Chapter 4

She hit her two month mark of pregnancy when Stan arrived home from his business trip. He barely noticed a change in her demeanor as he kissed her cheek and handed her a diamond ring, a gift from his trip. She smiled and thanked him, but wondered whether or not she should accept the gift. She knew she had to tell him. She just didn't know how.

After a few words were exchanged, Stan retreated to his office to go over some bills and make a few calls. He was only going to be home for a few days before he would leave again for more business. It was when he began opening the mail that Karen quietly made her way into the office. She had to tell him before she lost the courage.

"Stanly, can we have a serious conversation?" He opened the electric bill and nodded, half-listening. She licked her lips and sat in a chair across from him, pulling her legs up and holding them in front of her. She looked at her pedicure, noticing some chipped paint on her pinky toenail. "Well, I've been trying to think of a way to say this…"

"Would you like a martini?" He picked up another letter and opened it, still not placing his eyes on her.

"No, thank you. I can't." He unfolded the letter and began to read. "I just wanted to tell you that, I'm going to…honey, why are you looking at me like that?" His eyes were cold as he was suddenly staring at her. She could see the different flecks of green, contrasting with the maple color of his eyes, and it made her even more nervous than before.

"This is the bill from your gynecologist visit and the list of blood tests you took." Her heart began to beat faster, pounding within her chest. "I know this can't be right because we haven't had sex since…"

"I'm pregnant." He looked down to his desk, softly laying the bill in front of him. "I didn't want to hurt you, honey." He slammed his fist on the wooden piece of furniture in front of him, causing her to jump. He stood and looked into her eyes. She had never seen that look from him before.

"Of course, you didn't want to hurt me. That was the furthest thing from your mind when you were fucking some other man!" His voice rose and she stood in front of him, fully knowing that she deserved to be yelled at. "When are you getting rid of it?"

"I'm not." She couldn't look at him. She knew that his anger would overpower his mind at her words. It felt as if she were a child, being scolded for hitting their younger sibling or playing basketball in the house.

"You're going to flaunt this mistake in front of everyone? You're going to make a fool of me, more than you already have?" She snapped, meeting his gaze with anger in her eyes.

"What about you? I've had to put up with the looks, the gossiping behind my back for years. You've cheated on me more times than I can even count, Stan. Don't talk to me like you're the innocent one in this situation. You were gone, I had sex with someone, once, and this is what happened. I'm not the only one at fault here." He took a deep breath, calming himself. He knew that they had to speak rationally in order for the conversation to remain level between them. She was right.

"Is it too late to say I'm sorry?" His whisper caught her off guard. She met his eyes, noticing that they were glossy.

"No, it isn't too late to say it, but, honey, it's too late to really matter." A tear fell from her eye, unexpectedly, and she sniffled. A scoff escaped her lips and she ran a hand through her hair. "How did we get here, Stan?"

"I don't know." Their eyes met and he leaned forward to pull her into a hug. She accepted his embrace, knowing that it would be the last time they would be in that situation. He ran his large hands over her back and placed a kiss to the top of her head, taking in the scent of her shampoo. "I'll pack my things, and we can talk about money later."

"I want half of everything." She pulled away from his arms, rebuilding her walls. She held her head high, waiting for him to yell at her. It was a lot to ask, she knew, but she couldn't support herself and her baby on whatever Grace would pay her at the office. She needed to fight like a businesswoman, regardless of the circumstances.

"Are you going to call Will or should I?" His question surprised her. Was he actually considering splitting everything down the middle, fifty-fifty? "You look shocked." He took one of her hands in his. "Pregnancy or not, we are both at fault for everything that happened to our marriage, like you said. You helped me build my businesses. You deserve half of the credit."

"Who gets the manse?" She wasn't folding so quickly. It was as if she wanted to fight with him, get him to start an argument for a petty reason. He only shrugged.

"You do." She narrowed her eyes, suspiciously. "Don't ask why, Karen. Just accept it."

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She walked into his office, ready to face him and their situation. She needed to give her final signature on her divorce papers, and she figured she should tell him about the pregnancy while she was there. However, her plan was quickly forgotten when she found him with a man, in a tight embrace.

"Karen, what are you doing here?" He hurriedly pulled away from the man, as if he were embarrassed for her to see. She shrugged and closed the door behind her.

"You asked me to sign my divorce papers today, honey. Don't you remember?"

"Oh, of course, come here." He waved her over to his desk where she picked up a pen and signed her name. Meanwhile, Will and his friend said their goodbyes, arranging to meet at a coffee shop the next day for lunch. She sighed and turned around, finding him staring at her. "Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" He held up her divorce papers and raised an eyebrow. "Honey, I think everybody knew it was coming. It doesn't hurt." She began to walk away, but he took her hand in his to stop her. She faced him, unsure of where the conversation was headed.

"Listen, I know we both feel awkward around each other right now, but if you ever need to talk I'll be here."

"I know, honey. Thanks." She gave him a small smile, knowing that she was about to crush the warm moment. But she had one question first. "Honey, are you seeing that guy who just left?"

"We've been on a few dates. Why?" She smiled and shook her head. He was dating and looked happy. Happiness was a thing that Will had always had trouble finding, and she wasn't about to ruin that.

"Never mind." She patted his cheek with her hand and walked out the door. Perhaps she could wait a little longer.


	5. Chapter 5

"You know I love you, right?" She smiled at his words as he brushed her hair. She was sat on her bed in her pajamas, Jack behind her, and she was enjoying the amount of attention he was paying to her.

"Of course I know, Poodle." She turned to face him and smiled.

"And you love me too, right?"

"Why, do you want something?" She giggled, but quickly found that he was serious. She frowned and turned her body around to face him, placing her legs on each side of him. "I love you, honey. Why would you think I didn't?"

"I just like to hear people say it sometimes." He shrugged and began brushing his own hair with her hairbrush. She tilted her head, sensing that he was feeling lonelier than ever before. After all, he didn't really have anybody other than his three friends. She took his chin in her hand and leaned forward, brushing her lips across his. They renewed the kiss and she lingered a moment before pulling away.

"Jack, we all love you. And even though we don't say it as much as we should, we still feel it." He smiled at her confession.

"I like a sober Karen." She rolled her eyes and pecked his lips once more.

"Don't get too used to it, honey." He suddenly leaned forward and began tickling her sides. She squealed and giggled as he pushed her onto her back, her legs still on either side of him. He placed feather-light kisses on her jaw, continuing to tickle, but he stopped, just as quickly as he had begun. He gasped and looked into her face, their noses almost touching.

"I have the best idea ever." His eyes were wide and his excitement was evident on his face. "What if I moved in with you?"

"What?"

"Just think about it. Stan moved out and you're going to be lonely. I'm lonely and single. Karebear, we could be roommates!" He began to bounce in between her legs, unaware of the slight jolt it sent through her body. She pulled him close and rolled them over so she was on top, effectively stalling his movement. She bit her lip and thought for a moment, before smiling and meeting his excited gaze.

"Let's go get your things."

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She couldn't believe she had let Jack talk her into going out on the yacht. Her quick divorce was final just as her third month of pregnancy was nearing. She found proof, once again, that money could make anything happen quickly, even a divorce. It was all going so quickly, and she still hadn't gotten up enough courage to tell Will. Besides, she didn't want to ruin his current happiness. He had been dating a man named Scott, and he seemed indelibly happy. She couldn't bring herself to crush that, no matter how many times she tried.

Will, Grace, Jack, and Karen packed their things and set off on a mini-cruise on Karen's yacht. They all had taken the whole week off work and were prepared to just have fun. Karen decided that she would tell Will before the week was up. He had every right to know, no matter how difficult it would be to tell him. Plus, the stress levels would be down during a much needed week off work, so it would be the perfect time. The thought still didn't do much to comfort her, though.

They anchored the yacht around noon, in the middle of the ocean. They didn't have a destination so they weren't in any hurry to go anywhere. Will and Grace were seated on the deck, getting suntans and drinking margaritas. Jack was trying his hardest to coax Karen to swim with him, knowing that she needed to have some fun.

"Come on, Karebear. Let's swim, please." He begged her, taking her hands in his in a childlike manner.

"I told you, honey, I'm not comfortable in my swimsuit right now." She leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "I'm gaining weight."

"Nobody will notice. And even if they do, you have to tell them someday."

"I don't know." He leaned down and pecked her lips, pouting. She rolled her eyes and dropped her towel to the deck of the boat, revealing a black, one piece bathing-suit. Jack looked at her body, smiling.

"I can't even tell." She returned his smile, and they were soon on their way into the ocean from the back of the boat. He was in the water swimming as she dangled her feet over the edge, easing her way into the chilly water.

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"So, are things with you and Scott finally heating up?" Grace nudged Will's shoulder and smiled. He took a deep breath and continued to watch Jack splash Karen from the water.

"I don't know. He's a great guy, but I've kind of had a wandering eye."

"Really? For who?" He shrugged.

"It doesn't matter." Jack placed both hands on either side of Karen and she leaned down to kiss his lips, causing Will to smile. He remembered the way her lips felt, so soft against his. It had been months since they had touched, made love, but he still remembered every detail. The whole night was engraved in his memory forever. The feeling of her soft skin beneath his hands was something he would never be able to forget.

"I'm going to say something that I probably shouldn't." Grace cocked her head to the side and observed Karen as she stood and prepared herself to jump into the water. "Does Karen look like she's gaining a gut to you?" He laughed at her word usage and looked to the millionaire. When he looked at her his laughing ceased.

"You know, she might be. It's probably all that alcohol finally catching up with her." He joked, eliciting a giggle from Grace. It hurt a little to say something like that, but he shook it off. It was all to keep up appearances.

"It almost looks like she could be pregnant." She laughed harder, but Will only chuckled. There was something oddly sobering about Grace's statement.


	6. Chapter 6

She couldn't sleep, again. It never mattered what she did during the day, when night fell, she couldn't sleep. If she were home she would have gone to make a cup of tea, or get a glass of water, but she didn't feel at home on the boat. She rested her hand on her stomach, feeling the tightening of her flesh. It wouldn't be too much longer before she began to show, really. She was scared, nervous.

She sighed heavily before standing from her bed and walking from her room. She opened the sliding door that led to the deck and took a seat in one of the lounge chairs. The stars were sparkling brightly over her head, and she smiled at the beauty. She hadn't seen stars in so long that it warmed her heart.

When she was a young girl, her father would lay on the ground with her and look at the stars. He had a chart and they would take turns trying to find constellations. Neither of them was very good at it, but it was something they could do together. She was seven when he died, but she remembered everything about him. He was kind and gentle, never once raising his voice to her. She loved him, and her heart broke in half when he passed away. A tear fell down her cheek, the distant memories catching her at a weak moment.

"You couldn't sleep either?" Will's voice made her jump as he took a seat in the chair next to hers. She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes, building back her walls.

"No, I never can anymore." She gave a fake giggle, but he could tell it wasn't sincere. "Why can't you sleep, honey? Don't tell me you're homesick already." He chuckled.

"I've just been thinking a lot today and my mind won't stop long enough for me to sleep."

"What about?"

"You." Her eyes met his in a sharp motion, nervous. Her heart skipped a beat as he continued. "I've just been thinking about what happened between us a few months ago."

"I remember." Her words came in the form of a whisper and he smiled, taking her hand in his. She allowed him to hold her hand, feeling the warmth of his flesh. Oh, how she loved his hands.

"I'm not the reason your marriage broke up, am I?"

"No, honey, it wasn't you." She licked her lips, staring at the sky for a moment. "It was a million things."

"At least he was generous enough to split everything down the middle." She scoffed and met his eyes, amusement behind hers.

"Generous is not the word I would give to people like us." He raised an eyebrow, a form of an apology. "How are things with you, honey?"

"Everything is wonderful right now." He sighed, contradicting his statement. She scoffed, shortly.

"Bullshit."

"Okay, things aren't so great." She smiled, noting how easy he was for her to read. It was as if his thoughts were completely plastered across his face. "I broke up with Scott before we left this morning, over breakfast. I didn't tell Grace because she worries a lot."

"Only because she loves you, honey."

"I know she does, that's why I didn't want to tell her until after our little vacation." He sighed, thinking for a moment. "Are you sober?" She laughed.

"How could you tell?"

"You used the word love without giggling." She looked back up to the sky, fixing her gaze on a particularly bright star. "Karen, do you regret what we did?"

"Regrets are useless, honey. It's the future you have to worry about." She stood from the chair and began to walk to her room. "Goodnight."

He was left to ponder her statement, wondering what exactly she meant. When he turned to question her, she was gone. He stood from his chair and made his way to her room. He wasn't finished with their conversation yet. She was apparently walking much slower than he because he caught up with her right in front of her door.

"Karen?" She jumped and turned to face him, obviously startled. "What did you mean back there?"

"Goodnight, Will." She tried once again to open her door, but he took her wrist in his hand, pulling her to him. Her chest hit his, her breasts pressing against him, and she could feel his breath on her lips. His eyes looked deep into hers and she felt her heart flutter. She wanted him, so suddenly.

"Goodnight." He leaned down and kissed her lips, so gently she shivered. His arms wrapped around her waist as he pushed her against the door, renewing their kiss. She sighed into his mouth as his tongue penetrated her lips, but an alarm was going off in her head. He reached down and ran his hands over her buttocks, gripping her nightgown in his hands, massaging her covered flesh. The alarms must have been happening to him too because they pulled away at the exact same moment, meeting each other's eyes. She pecked his lips once more before releasing herself from his grip, smiling softly, and entering her room. He sighed, calming himself, before he walked to his room as well.

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They had been on the boat for two days, having fun and laughing. Karen, personally, knew how much she needed the laughter. The weight of her secret often hindered her ability to feel too much joy. It was good to feel like her old self again before she would have to completely out herself to her friends, tell her secret.

The four of them were all lying on the deck of the boat, watching the clouds pass over them. It was a beautiful sight, the four of them in a tight embrace, all of them touching each other in one way or another. None of them were aware that the loving moment would be so short lived. Grace looked over at Karen and giggled.

"Karen, your boob is coming out." They all giggled as she looked down to her chest, effectively covering herself.

"This bra is too small. We need to go shopping when we get home, Poodle." He agreed and pulled her close to him, resting his hand on her stomach. Grace just sighed, still sensing that something was off. However, she kept silent. She wanted to find something better to go on than just a feeling.

----------

"Grace, what are we doing in here?" Will inquired, panicking, as they snuck into Karen's room. She pulled him behind her and began going through the dresser drawers. "This is wrong."

"Just stand lookout. Tell me if you hear her coming." He stood next to the half-open door, wishing nothing more than for Grace to give up.

"What are you looking for?"

"Anything that will tell me what she's hiding."

"You don't know that she's hiding anything. You're paranoid."

"I just have a feeling." She closed the drawers and began going through her purse that had been left unattended on the bed. She emptied it and sifted through the contents.

"Grace, its none of our business."

"Woah."

"What?" He walked over to her and took a bottle of pills from her hand. "So, she takes pills. We know that."

"Those are prenatal vitamins. Karen's pregnant."

He felt as if his heart had stopped beating as the room began to spin.


	7. Chapter 7

Jack and Karen giggled as they emerged from the water, finding their towels. She wrapped her towel around her waist, covering her body from visibility. They had been swimming again. Jack loved taking her into the water because it made them weightless. It was as if their cares and concerns went away when they played games or wrestled in the ocean. He smiled and put his arm around her shoulders, leading her to her room to change.

"Karebear, we should all get dressed up for dinner tonight. Wouldn't that be fun?"

"Why would we do that, honey? There's no one to impress here."

"I know that, silly." He kissed her cheek and they continued to walk. "I just thought it might be fun to get all prettied up."

"Okay, honey. You tell Will and I'll tell Grace!"

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Jack giggled as he rushed into Will's walk-in closet, hurrying to find a jacket for dinner. He knew that Will always brought nice clothes, no matter where he went, and he was planning on taking some into his possession. Suddenly, he heard voices entering the room. He turned off the light and pulled the door closed, leaving a crack that he could see through.

Will and Karen had met in the hallway, her in an elegant, deep-purple dress that caressed her ankles. She was carrying her shoes in her hand, and she smiled to greet him, but he quickly grabbed her wrist. He forcefully pulled her into his room and closed the door behind them, unaware of Jack's hidden presence.

"Honey, what the hell is wrong with you? All I said was 'hi.'" He faced her, anger etched all over his face. He didn't even know where to begin the conversation. She walked closer to him, placing her hand to his cheek. It was easy to tell that he wasn't himself at the moment. He quickly slapped her hand away, taking her aback. "What are you…?"

"I have a question for you. Are you pregnant?" Her heart dropped, sweat began to form on the back of her neck. She was shaking.

"Why do you ask?"

"It doesn't matter. Answer my question."

"Yes." She began to walk out the door, not ready to face the conversation. She wanted to get far away from him, from everyone. The timing wasn't right at all. She wanted to tell him on her terms. He grabbed her wrist roughly, for the second time that evening. "Don't fucking touch me, Will!"

"Then stop trying to get away from me!" Tears fell from her eyes, surprising each of them. She didn't want to be the one to ruin his life, his future. "How many months are you?"

"Almost three." Her whisper nearly made him gasp aloud. His heart was beating quickly, as was hers, and their eyes were locked. He watched tears fall down her cheeks, and she tried her hardest to act strong. He licked his lips and asked the question that she dreaded the most, she didn't want to have to hear it.

"Karen, is that my baby?" She scoffed, breaking any sweetness the moment could find.

"Of course it's your baby! Who the hell else's would it be?"

"Are you sure? Don't fuck with me!"

"We already made it past that, don't you think?" He turned around and sat on his bed, placing his head in his hands, absorbing the situation.

"What are we going to do?" She could hear the anguish in his voice. It hurt her to see him like that. She sat down next to him on the bed and put her arm around his shoulders. For the first time since they began their conversation, he didn't pull away.

"I know this is going to sound harsh, honey, but _you_ don't have to do anything." His tearful eyes met hers in a quick motion, shocked. "This could ruin your life, Will. I wouldn't think any less of you if…"

"What are you talking about? It's just as much my responsibility as it is yours."

"Yes, but you have more to live for." He couldn't believe her words. "Honey, I have Jack. He's all I need, and I know that he's never going to leave me."

"You can't expect Jack to take on the responsibility of a baby that isn't his."

"That's not what I'm saying." Their voices found an edge, harshening the meaning. "All I know is that I'm keeping it, and I don't expect anything from you." She stood to walk away, barely making it to the door before she found herself in his tight embrace. She had never held a man as he cried, it was chilling. Neither of them was sure for what exactly they were crying, but she sobbed as well. "Will, I'm so sorry."

"No." He held her tighter, running his hands over her back. They were holding so close that they could have been one person, ironically enough. "Apologies aren't allowed." He pulled back and kissed her hard on the mouth, a sort of comforting mechanism. She pulled him closer, her arms around his neck, as he began moving towards the bed. She fell on top of him, the mattress bouncing beneath their bodies, and straddled him in her dress. Their tears mixed together and their tongues tapped gently. She sighed as he ran his hands up her thighs, under her dress. His fingers began playing with the skin below her panty line, pushing the straps down a bit. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. They broke the kiss and she hurried off of him, backing towards the closet. He wiped his eyes and opened the door to reveal Grace.

"What's going on in here?" She looked into the room to find Karen. "Was I not invited for a reason?" Karen giggled, only Will could tell how insincere it was.

"No, honey, I was just walking by and Will asked me to help him pick out an outfit for dinner." She opened the closet a bit to reveal Jack. Her eyes widened and she hurriedly closed the door, no one else seeing him. Will and Grace had a brief conversation and he somehow managed to get rid of her for the moment. He turned to face Karen, but she rolled her eyes and opened his closet, Jack walking out.

"I was just getting a jacket." He held up the object of his intrusion. He shrugged and walked out the door. Karen made her pregnancy announcement at dinner. There wasn't much conversation after that.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Another sleepless night found Karen making her way to Jack's bedroom. She hadn't spoken to him since she found him accidentally eavesdropping in Will's closet. He had heard a very delicate conversation between her and the father of her unborn child, and she wanted to explain a few things.

"Poodle?" She opened his door and walked into his room, finding him sleeping on his stomach. She climbed onto his back, placing her lips to his ear. He stirred and began to wake. "I need to talk to you."

"Do you know what time it is?" His voice was sleepy as he rolled over, bringing her into the bed with him. She looked into his eyes.

"Honey, I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I wanted to, but I needed to know how he felt about it first." He covered her mouth with his hand, effectively silencing her apology.

"I'm just surprised. I didn't mean to listen in."

"I know, honey."

"Why did you choose Will? That's all I want to know." She shrugged as he pulled her close, her head on his chest. He wanted to make her feel comfortable.

"I don't know that I exactly chose him. We were arguing about something stupid and we kissed. We both freaked out about it and then when we talked about how it didn't mean anything, that's when we did it. Honey, I don't even know how we feel about each other. Say something that'll make me feel better."

"I love you, Karebear." He pulled her close and kissed her head, hoping to silence her mind. "Everything will be fine."

"I didn't know it would go this far so fast. It wasn't supposed to mean anything at all."

"Stop thinking so much. It's two o'clock in the morning, and we should get some sleep. You want to spend the night in here?"

"Would you hold me until I fall asleep?" She sounded so soft, so fragile. He smiled and scooted further down into the bed, pulling up the blankets. Her body was warm against his as he pulled her to his chest, his fingers playing with her hair.

"I'll hold you after too."


	8. Chapter 8

Grace watched as Karen sat in a lounge chair on the deck of the boat. She was watching Jack as he swam, his only form of exercise while on their vacation. Karen had refused to go swimming, feeling sick. The real reason was she felt depressed, sad that she and Will had made such a reckless mistake. Was mistake the right word? Either way, he had barely left his room all day.

"Are you okay?" Grace sat next to her friend in a separate lawn chair, facing her. "You've been kind of distant."

"I'm just a little blue, honey." The light reflecting from her sunglasses made it impossible for Grace to see any sentiment in her eyes.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not particularly." She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. She figured that the best way to be left alone would be to give short responses, but Grace didn't seem to get the message.

"Is it about the baby?"

"What else?"

"I'm sure Stan will help you. He doesn't seem like the kind of man who would just walk away from something like this. I mean, he has a legal obligation to…"

"Oh, for God's sake, Grace, the baby isn't his. Quit blabbering and let me sulk, would you?" Her voice was very harsh and she immediately regretted the way she had spoken to Grace. It had nothing to do with her, and she was only trying to help. She stood to leave, but Karen's hand found hers before she could walk away. She pulled her sunglasses down and met her friend's eyes, showing her sincerity. "I didn't mean it like that, honey."

"It's alright. I understand." She leaned down and kissed Karen's lips, showing her understanding of the situation. "I'll be swimming with Jack if you feel like talking."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The night was warm, barely a breeze. It was so beautiful when the reflection of the moon shone into the ocean, making the waves glow. Karen walked to the edge of the deck, her bare feet feeling the warmth of the floorboards. She was drawn to the water, as they all seemed to be, and she went to place her feet in it. She loved the feeling of being embraced by warmth, especially when she felt so lost at the moment. She had no idea what she was going to do.

She heard footsteps behind her and quickly turned to face Will. He was shocked to see her there, as was she, and he momentarily faltered. She turned around and looked over the ocean. In reality she was glad to see him. They hadn't spoken all day and she felt like they needed it. He sat next to her, placing his feet in the water as well. They stayed silent for a long while.

"I know we should talk, but I don't know what to say." He sighed and placed his hand over hers. She was glad he had broken the silence. She didn't know what to say either, and her heart felt heavy.

"I know, honey." She leaned her head back and looked at the stars. "What are we supposed to do?"

"Do you remember when Grace and I were trying to have a baby?" She nodded and he continued. "Well, I guess this is kind of the same, in a weird way. But just because we didn't plan it, doesn't mean we can't welcome it."

"It's not exactly the same, Will."

"We can still be happy about it."

"You don't seem as freaked out as I am." She turned to meet his eyes, finding them to be oddly intimidating. He gave her a soft smile.

"What's the point in freaking out? We're having a baby. We could be excited about this." She gave a small chuckle.

"You're being too positive."

"Why be negative?" He leaned in a pecked her lips. She was shocked at the kiss, unsure of what the meaning was. "Plus, we can have unprotected sex and not worry about pregnancy."

"What the hell makes you think we're going to do it again?" He shrugged, putting his arm around her, his hand on her hip. She laid her head on his shoulder and they continued to look out over the water.

"Isn't it inevitable? We're parenting a child together, so it's logical." She scoffed, meeting his eyes in question. "Would you believe me if I said it was the best I've ever had?"

"It was with me, honey. Of course it was the best you've ever had."

"So, we should do it as much as possible." She laughed, knowing how quirky his sense of humor was. But he did have a good way to break any awkwardness that was left between them. "Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah, honey. I just don't know what kind of a mother I'll make. I mean, look how my mother was."

"You're not going to be your mother. And I'm not going to be my mother. Even though this isn't the most conventional circumstance, we are going to do a great job. I can feel it." He hugged her close to him and she smiled. His words resonated strongly in her mind. She placed her hand on his stomach and hugged him as well.

"You're sweet, Will. Why is it that I always believe whatever you say?"

"It's probably the same reason why you're the only woman who can make my heart pound when you look into my eyes." She met his eyes, hoping he was telling the truth and his heart was in fact beating quickly. It all sounded as if it were from a bad romance film, but she found herself drawn to his words. It sounded stupid, but she believed him. She maintained their gaze and whispered softly.

"What happens when our lips touch?" He gave her a soft smile and leaned closer to her face.

"I'll show you." He gently ran his lips over hers before capturing them in a soft kiss. It was as if an electric shock was sent through each of them when their tongues touched. The sound of the waves synchronized harmoniously with the sounds of their lips breaking and renewing their kiss. She moved to straddle him, sitting on his lap with his arms around her.

The breeze blew a bit harder as she began unbuttoning the front of his shirt, pushing it off his shoulders and allowing it to land on the wooden boards beneath them. They may have been on the deck, out in the open, but she was prepared to take her time in her examination of his body. She had regretted the fact that she didn't memorize every inch of his skin the first time they were together, and she wanted to make up for it. She pushed him down onto the floor and ran her hands through his hair before breaking their kiss, meeting his glistening brown eyes with her own. They shared a soft smile before she pecked his lips again and made her way down his neck and chest.

Her tongue began to play with the skin above his pants as she unbuttoned them. She followed the piece of clothing down his body with her lips. Once his pants and boxers were discarded on the deck she kissed back up to his lips. He took her return to his mouth as the opportunity to roll her on her back and have his own exploration. She was wearing a loose-fitting dress, and he easily pulled it up her body, tossing it next to his own clothing.

He followed her example and kissed down to the center of her cleavage, his tongue gently caressing her flesh. She sighed and smiled, closing her eyes, as he reached behind her back and unclasped her bra. He ran his hands over her bare breasts as he began kissing towards her panty line. Once her thong was removed, he kissed up her body, only lingering a moment on her inner thighs, before their lips connected again. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he pushed into her center. He remained still as she pulled away and looked into his eyes, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Go slow, honey. Make it last." He complied and they slowly made love on the deck of the boat. It was passionate and full of sensuality. Hours passed before they went to his bedroom, locking the doors and falling asleep in each other's arms.


	9. Chapter 9

She held him close between her legs, squeezing his waist to pull him deep. His breath sounded loud, yet soft in her ear and she smiled, running her hands over his hair. He placed gentle kisses on her neck before leaning on his elbows and pressing his lips against hers. After pulling away, their eyes met. He held her face in his hands, running his thumb over her cheek.

"Stay inside me, honey. Please." He nodded and pecked her lips again. Her voice was so soft it sent a shiver down his spine. It was as if she had gently brushed him with a feather, a light feeling. Her eyes searched his face, trying to memorize every inch, every shape.

His arms began to feel weak from holding himself over her, and he rolled them over. She lay on top of his body as they maintained their connection. Neither wanted to move, fearing the ending of a beautiful night. It was early morning and they hadn't slept much the whole night, making love many times. However, she knew she would have to go to her own room soon if they wanted to hide their late night affairs from Grace and Jack. Even though Jack already knew that the baby was Will's, they didn't want to tell Grace just yet. There was still time before she would have to know, and they didn't want any more stress at the moment.

"You're beautiful, you know." She smiled and he wrapped his arms tighter around her waist, running his palms over her lower back.

"I should go." When she tried to move he rolled over, holding her close. "Honey…"

"I don't want you to go." He kissed her neck and she giggled.

"I have to get some sleep and it's not going to happen if I'm in bed with you."

"Have it your way." He pouted and she kissed his lips, caressing his face with her hand. They would be on their way home in a few short hours, away from the boat. Life at home would never be the same.

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Karen and Jack walked into her bedroom and tossed their suitcases to the floor, wondering where Rosario was. They were exhausted from their trip and all they wanted to do was sleep. They simultaneously flopped down onto her bed, taking deep breaths.

"Thank you for the trip, Kare. It was fun."

"No it wasn't." She rolled onto her side to look at him. "Too many things happened for it to be fun."

"But we got to swim, and Grace and I got drunk and spit olives off the side of the boat." She smiled as he turned to face her, leaning up so he could look into her eyes. "Plus, you don't have to worry about telling Will anymore."

"But now it's all real." She sighed and bit her lower lip. "It's too real." She rolled over onto her back and stretched her hands above her head, kicking her shoes onto the floor. "I think I'm going to take a nap, Poodle."

"Can I nap with you?" He put his hand on her stomach and looked at her face. She nodded, but he didn't close his eyes. Instead, his gaze remained on her neck. "Where did you get that hickey?"

"What?" Her eyes snapped open and moved to meet his.

"It's right below your ear." He leaned up and looked harder as she tried to hide it with her hand, muttering excuses. "You had sex with Will…again." She rolled her eyes. "Karen."

"What does it matter, honey? He already knocked me up."

"It matters because sex always means something when it's with someone you care about."

"I don't care about him. He was just an easy fuck." Her voice was cold, but Jack didn't believe her for a second. She rolled over and closed her eyes, ending their conversation.

"You're a bad liar."


	10. Chapter 10

"I'm going to my appointment, honey." Karen grabbed her purse from the floor next to her chair. She had finally hit the third month of pregnancy, and she was scheduled for an ultrasound and some blood work.

"Okay. Are you coming back after?"

"I don't know. It depends how it goes."

"Call me later." She agreed and walked into the service elevator. The ride seemed longer than usual and she felt impatient, unnecessarily. She had been feeling less patient as her pregnancy progressed, she had noticed. She also felt tired all the time, but at least her morning sickness had eased. It was less common for her to vomit at the most inopportune of all times. The elevator door opened and she came face to face with Will, who smiled in greeting.

"Hey, Kare, how are you? You didn't answer when I called last night."

"I went to bed pretty early." He nodded, shifting his weight. It felt awkward between them sometimes, like they weren't sure what was appropriate. "Well, um, I'd better go or I'll be late." She began to walk away, but he followed her.

"Where are you going?"

"I have a doctor's appointment."

"For the baby?"

"What else?" She began to walk down the sidewalk when his hand clasped hers. Their eyes met.

"Can I go with you?" It was a shocking question and she couldn't help but remain silent. "It's just that, you might need someone." She rolled her eyes.

"I've done this before, Will. But thank you." She began to walk away, but he followed her again, not willing to give up so easily.

"Please, let me go. It's mine too."

"Honey, I would much rather be alone, if you don't mind. I'll give you a copy of the ultrasound picture later."

"Are you and Jack still coming to dinner tonight?" She nodded and he watched her walk away from him, rushing across the street. He looked to the ground and began walking back to Grace's office.

She wasn't sure why she didn't want him to attend her appointment with her, it seemed reasonable. The only problem was that would be something a couple would do, people in a relationship. She couldn't let herself get too close to him, even though she had already let him inside of her. Emotions were something that she could easily control, until she became pregnant.

Will was gay; off limits. She couldn't pretend that they had a future together, even though they were connected for life. Feelings for him couldn't exist. She only hoped that their child wouldn't suffer from their strange situation. It just felt wrong, too difficult.

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Her appointment went well and Karen celebrated by taking a nap when she returned to her manse. Jack was at the gym and she was hoping to get some quiet time before he returned. However, the moment she felt herself drifting into deep sleep, he walked through the door with shopping bags in his hands.

"Karebear, you're always sleeping."

"And you're always waking me up." She rolled over onto her back and sighed.

"How is baby?"

"Healthy, and growing at the perfect pace; every mother's dream." Her voice was strange, and Jack couldn't hear any sort of happiness at all. He knew that the pregnancy was a surprise for her, but he wasn't sure if she really didn't care or if she was putting up her façade.

"Shouldn't you sound happier about it? Where's the picture?"

"It's in my purse." She placed one of her hands behind her head and tried to doze off while Jack opened her purse and rummaged for the picture. He smiled when he looked at the blurry blob on the glossy picture paper.

"It's a girl. We can name her something like Emily Louise Walker."

"Truman, but we won't know for another month or so." She felt herself relaxing, even though it did nothing to help her mood. She was still pretty grumpy, for one reason or another. "And I hate the name Emily."

"It was my grandmother's name and I think it's pretty." He smiled at the fact that she was trying her hardest to ignore him. "What does Will think?"

"I don't care."

"Have you even talked about anything?" She sat up and faced him, her eyes looked heavy. Her voice wasn't harsh, but it sounded exhausted.

"Damn it, Jack, I'm tired. I don't want to think about all of this right now, okay?"

"I'll wake you when it's time to go to Will and Grace's for dinner."

"Thank you."


	11. Chapter 11

Jack ran his hands over her stomach, hoping to feel any growth that may have been occurring. She was laying on the couch in Will and Grace's apartment after dinner one evening, after they had gone to a movie. Grace smiled as she watched her friends on the couch, Jack's love for Karen shining through in his every movement.

"Honey, I told you, you're not going to feel much of a difference at three months."

"Of course I can. It feels like you're getting a gut." She scoffed and pushed his hands away, rolling over to lie on her side. "You know, you better wipe that look off your face because I was being nice. The truth is you're getting chunky."

"You're not getting a reaction out of me, honey. Let it go." She closed her eyes and he walked into the kitchen, beginning a conversation with Grace. Will, however, decided to skip their conversation and focus on Karen. He took the seat that Jack was previously occupying, and stared at her face, her eyes closed. He looked at her stomach and slowly placed his hand on the small bump. "Jack, I told you…" She stopped when she opened her eyes and found Will hovering over her, caressing her stomach.

"Am I bothering you?" She shook her head, suddenly wishing he would touch her bare skin instead. He leaned closer to her and began to whisper, not wanting Grace or Jack to hear. "Can we talk sometime? There are a lot of things we should figure out."

"Come to the manse around seven tomorrow night. Jackie has a date and we can be alone." She wasn't sure why she was making plans for them to be alone. There was still a physical attraction, and it was potentially dangerous. Nevertheless, he agreed, and they all continued their evening.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She sighed loudly as his pace grew faster, pushing him deeper. He had come to speak about their future, their situation, but twenty minutes found them gasping for air on her couch. She had straddled him, and their clothes were soon scattered all over the room.

She bit his shoulder as he ran his hands down her bare back, over her buttocks. He continued lifting her hips, almost bouncing her on top of him. She used the back of the couch as leverage to hold herself closer to him. It was moments later that she captured his lips, the sounds of their orgasms reverberating between them.

"Oh, honey." She sighed as she laid her forehead on his shoulder, her breathing so heavy. He leaned his head against the back of the couch and closed his eyes, still feeling her warmth around him as their connection remained strong. "How did you get so good at hetero-sex?" He chuckled and rested his hands on her hips, feeling her flesh filling his hands.

"You must bring it out of me." A small giggled arose in her throat before she found his mouth and kissed him again. His tongue quickly penetrated her lips as she lifted her hips and allowed him to pull out. She stood from his lap and began her search for her clothing, which was scattered everywhere. When Will didn't move she smiled and tossed his clothes onto his lap, covering him incase someone happened to walk in. She slide into her thong and clasped her bra while he watched her, observantly. "You know, you can't really tell that you're pregnant."

"Maybe you can't, honey, but I can." She stepped into a pair of pajama pants she was wearing and continued to look for her shirt on the floor.

"I think you look great."

"You only like me because I open my legs for you." She joked as she pulled her shirt over her head and flopped onto the couch next to him. "Now that you mention it, honey, you don't look like you're having a baby either."

"Well, I've tried to keep my figure." He mused, never moving from his spot. She leaned over to kiss him, running her hand over his chest before finding his eyes. "I hope it has your eyes."

"Stop." She scowled and turned away from his gaze.

"Why? I'm not allowed to give you a complement?"

"Not when it has to do with the baby. Just don't." She stood from her place on the couch and walked over to the bar in the corner. When she realized where she was going she stopped walking. "This sucks. I can't even drink."

"Karen," He stood from the couch and hurriedly put his boxers and pants on while he spoke. "Why is it that every time you talk about the baby it isn't _your_ baby or _our_ baby? You always refer to it as the baby." She turned to face him, wondering how they were pushed into a serious conversation so quickly after being so close.

"How many people have you told about it? Have you told your parents that you knocked me up?"

"Are you saying that I'm ashamed?"

"Yes. And why wouldn't you be? You're gay and you screwed around with a woman. And she wasn't even worth the time of day you gave her."

"I'm not ashamed of what happened. I like being with you, and I like it when it isn't just physical. I like talking to you, Kare." He walked forward and took her hands in his. "But you have to understand that this isn't a very easy situation for me either. We're in this together, and we can be here for each other if we can just sit here and talk about it."

"I don't want this." Tears formed in her eyes and she cursed her situation for not allowing her to drink. "This is not the life that I was supposed to have, Will. I should still be married to Stan, and we would be planning our vacation right now for next summer. I shouldn't be divorced for a third time, pregnant with a gay man's baby, and sitting here wondering if I'm going to give this child the life it deserves." Tears fell down her cheeks and she angrily wiped them away before she cleared her voice and tried to gain composure. "I'm going to end up alone because no man would ever want a woman like me. And damn it, honey, I am not okay with that."

"I'm sorry." She scoffed, her eyes coldly digging into his.

"I am too." It only took a moment for him to pull her into his arms. She tried her hardest to pull away, but he only held her closer. She sniffled and wrapped her arms around him, beginning to cry once again. The wall had been temporarily taken down and it wasn't easy to rebuild, until Jack walked into the room.

"Am I interrupting something?" Will and Karen hurriedly broke their embrace and looked at their friend. Will was still shirtless, and Karen's hair was tousled. It was obvious that they had made love only moments before.

"Honey, you're home early. How was your date?" She walked over to him and smiled, so fake.

"Why have you been crying?" He put his hands to her face and wiped the mascara from her cheeks. Will put his shirt on as he watched how well Jack always seemed to take care of her.

"I'm fine, Poodle. I think I'm going to take a bath, okay?" She turned to Will and gave him a small smile. "See you later, honey." She walked upstairs to take a bath before lying down in bed, earlier than usual.

"Will, have you lost your mind?" Jack's words were shocking and he met his eyes quickly.

"What do you mean?"

"You're still having sex with her. Don't you think that's the way that all of this got started?"

"She's pregnant, Jack. This isn't at all how it started."

"That's not my point. I have never seen her more miserable, and all she does is sleep. Maybe you should stop hurting her."

"You think I'm hurting her? I would never do that, Jack. And as my best friend, you should know that." Jack sighed and looked to the ground, hating the fact that he had to be so serious. But he felt that it was his duty to take care of Karen, since she was so fragile at the moment.

"I know you don't mean to do it, but she is really confused right now. You may not be attracted to woman, but she is still attracted to men. You're using her, and I'm not going to let her get her heart broken if she falls for you."

"She won't get her heart broken because I'm falling for her." They stared at one another, unable to believe what had just been said. But Will couldn't lie, he was falling for her. His days were filled with thoughts of her and his nights were filled with dreams of their future, their child.

"Will, don't tell her until you're sure. Its still really soon." He walked forward and hugged his friend. It seemed out of context, but it only showed the oddity of their friendship; how deep it went. "I'm going to see if she wants to eat before she falls asleep."

Will stood in the library in the mansion, watching the form of Jack ascending the stairs. He sighed and wondered when they had all become so narrow-minded. When did they all find a shade of sadness in their lives? He knew one thing for sure, their existence needed a little bit of fun.


	12. Chapter 12

Another month had swept past them in a wave of odd melancholy. Karen was leaving the office on her way to her doctor's appointment when she, once again, met up with Will. She knew it wasn't a coincidence because he had been paying closer attention to her. It was strange how he was always watching her, trying to get more and more moments alone with her.

They hadn't made love since the last time on her couch, in her library. He decided to listen to Jack's words, for once. She was not in a position to have a possible relationship sprung on her. Instead of making love, they talked. They talked about childhood memories, fears. It wasn't often that either of them really took the time to open up, but it strengthened the friendship.

She still slept often, never wanted to get out of bed in the mornings. It was getting too difficult for her to look at herself in the mirror. She could no longer deny the fact that she was depressed. She hadn't laughed in months and it was really weighing on her; she didn't remember a time when she was happy.

"Honey, what are you doing here?" She stopped in front of Will and tilted her head.

"I'm going to the appointment with you."

"No, you aren't." She began to walk away, just as before. He didn't let her get far before he lifted her from the ground and tossed her over his shoulder.

"Damn it, Will, put me down!" She slapped at his back and kicked her legs, trying her hardest to get out of his strong arms. He walked closer to the road and hailed a cab, never letting her go. Once the cab stopped, he opened the door and pushed her into the car before getting in behind her and slamming the door. "Have you lost your fucking mind?" She slapped him on his shoulder, obviously angry. He gave the driver directions before addressing her question.

"You won't let me go, and I feel like I have the right to be there."

"For what? You've already been inside it, now you want to gawk at it too!" The cabbie tried to hold back a laugh, but it didn't go unnoticed by his passengers. They rolled their eyes and resumed the conversation.

"It's my kid too. How many times have we been over this?"

"Plenty, the problem is I still don't want you there."

"Today is when you find out the gender, and I want to be there for it." She gave him a dirty look and scoffed. "Believe it or not, I want this baby, and I'm not missing any part of its life, even from the very beginning." She looked away and sighed. He was right; she couldn't really deprive him of the joys of parenthood. Even if he was being very controlling about the situation, she would have to look past it and allow him to accompany her, at least once.

"Fine."

----------

He had never witnessed a woman getting a physical, receiving an ultrasound. It was a strange experience and his eyes widened when he saw the way the doctor touched her, with such professionalism. It was odd for him to see Karen being touched that way without reacting at all. It was so foreign to him, and he wanted to slap the man for touching her naked body.

"Honey, are you okay?" She met his eyes as the doctor set up the ultrasound machine. She took his hand in her own. "I told you that…"

"I'm fine. It's fine." He assured her as he leaned down to place a kiss on her lips, surprising each of them. They shrugged it off and the doctor walked closer to her, pulling up her top. Will watched as a gel was spread over her skin. He hadn't touched her in so long that he hadn't noticed how full her stomach was getting. He heard a thumping sound and turned to the monitor, hoping that nothing was wrong.

"Don't worry, Mr. Truman, it's only the heartbeat." Karen smiled as the doctor addressed Will's uneasiness. "Would you like to know the sex of your baby?"

"Yes." They answered in unison, their grip on each other's hands tightening, for whatever reason.

"You're going to have a baby girl." They smiled.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I'm so excited. We can finally stop calling her an 'it.'" Will smiled as he and Karen exited the building. She hadn't changed her demeanor at all and it was slightly unnerving. Instead of addressing the issue, he decided to try to make her excited. "We should celebrate at my apartment tonight. I'll make lasagna; I know it's one of your favorites. Oh, and we can rent movies. Doesn't that sound fun?"

"Yeah, honey, Jack and I will be there around six." She continued to walk forward, silently deciding that they would walk back to her manse. He took her hand in his, but she hurriedly pulled it away and shoved her hands into her coat pockets. "Do you want us to bring the movies?"

"No, you'll pick something depressing." She ignored him and they continued to walk, a little more quickly than before. "Do you need to talk or something?"

"Will, why are you always picking at me?" She stopped walking and faced him. Her gaze was quizzical. "You're always around and asking me questions. Then, when you aren't trying to get me to talk, you're following me to my doctor's appointment. What gives, honey?"

"I'm worried about you. I don't think you're okay."

"I'm fine." Her eyes dug into his and she spoke with an edge.

"Then, wake up. Stop moping because things didn't work out the way you planned. You only get one life, Karen. It's time to live." She watched him begin to walk away, his words sinking into her mind. He was right. She couldn't continue to feel sorry for herself because it would change nothing. Whether or not she wanted her life, it was still hers to live.

"Will," She began walking down the sidewalk after him. When he didn't turn around she began to move a little faster. "Will, look at me." He finally did, and she ran into him, their chests bumping. "I'm sorry, okay."

"We all miss your laugh, you know." She leaned forward and pressed her lips against his; silencing whatever else he had to say. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close while he gently touched her stomach. He broke the kiss and met her tearful eyes. She sniffled and backed away.

"I'll see you tonight, honey." He nodded and watched her turn around, walking towards her home.


	13. Chapter 13

Jack walked into his and Karen's home after work. He hated his job, a sales associate, and he was so glad to finally return home after a long day at work. As soon as he closed the front door, Karen jumped out from behind it and shouted his name. He jumped in surprise and grabbed his chest.

"Karen, what the hell is wrong with you?" Instead of answering, she laughed. She laughed for the first time in months. He wanted to be angry with her, but her laughter was infectious, and he began to do so as well.

"You should have seen your face." She walked forward and pulled him into a hug.

----------

She had been laughing all night, watching movies and telling jokes. It was an odd awakening, what Will had said, and something had come over her. His words weren't much, but they were just enough to make her think. The darkened spell had suddenly broken and she couldn't help, but smile.

Later that evening, Karen was helping Will clean up the kitchen, a rarity. Jack was seated on the couch, reading a magazine, while they quietly made conversation. She would smile as his breath tickled her ear, his hand on the small of her back.

"You're glowing." He smiled as she giggled, so girlishly. "You want to stay over?"

"I can't, honey."

"Are you afraid I'll never let you leave?" She nudged him away as she reached to place a glass in the sink for him to wash, her job was to dry. He leaned close again and whispered something else, kissing her cheek. Jack rolled his eyes.

"Just because I know about it, doesn't mean I want to witness it." They pulled apart, but couldn't keep from smiling at Jack's words. Grace exited the bathroom and flopped down on the couch next to Jack. "Grace, let's go to that gay bar downtown."

"Which one?"

"Who cares?" He jumped up from the couch and began bouncing in front of her. "Come on, let's go!"

"But Karen can't drink." Karen was quick to speak up, encouraging them to leave. She honestly wanted alone time with Will.

"No, honey, you go ahead. Maybe Will and I can watch another movie or something." He nodded, and Grace was quickly convinced. She rushed to get her purse and the friends were soon on their way out the door. Jack knew exactly what he was doing, but something told him that Karen didn't need protection when it came to Will. After all, they were each looking for the same things in life, and they were having a baby.

As soon as the door closed Will grabbed her around the waist and kissed her, eliciting a sigh. She pulled him close as they began rushing to his bedroom, their feet tangling together, causing them to stumble. He quickly lifted her into his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist.

He tossed her onto his bed and she pulled her shirt from her body while he removed his as well. There wasn't even time to close the door. His lips burned her skin as he made his way down her neck and in between her breasts. His tongue touched her skin, her breath was heavy. She lifted her hands above her head and bit her lip as he unzipped her pants. He explored her body with his lips and she was soon naked beneath him.

She rolled them over and gave him the same treatment, wanting to feel him weaken beneath her lips. After removing his pants and boxers, she kissed back up his chest until she found his mouth. He bit her bottom lip when she took his erection in her hand, caressing him. His breath hitched and he quickly rolled on top of her to make their connection.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Grace watched as Karen flipped through a fashion magazine at her desk. They hadn't really spoken as good friends since the time they were on her boat, on their mini-vacation. She walked over to her assistant and she quickly closed her magazine, looking up. Grace smiled when a baby book fell out of the pages of the fashion magazine.

"So, are you having a baby shower?"

"No. That's not really my thing, honey." She looked into Grace's eyes, waiting for her to go back to her work, but she didn't move. "Grace, why have you been staring at me all day? It's really distracting."

"I'm sorry." She stood and walked over to her desk, but quickly turned back around. "Okay, I want to know who the father is. It isn't like you to just go out a get pregnant then never speak to him again."

"Honey, this shouldn't come as a shock to you, but I'm kind of a slut."

"Does he know about the baby?"

"Yes, he does."

"What happened?" She stood from her seat and walked over to Grace, taking her hands in her own.

"I had sex with some guy, when I was still married to Stan, and I got pregnant. It's as simple as that."

"I don't care what you say. I know you aren't that easy."

"Yeah, I am." She nodded, a small smile on her lips. Neither Will nor Karen knew when they wanted to tell Grace. It wasn't something they had spoken about, for whatever reason. "Just don't dig too deep into it." She made her way to the bathroom, always having to pee with her pregnancy. Grace's eyes followed her until she was gone, before she rushed to her desk and grabbed her assistant's designer purse.

It was the second time in their relationship that she had done such a thing, but she felt a desperate need for an answer. She found her cell phone and scrolled through the contents, hoping to find something in her text messages. It felt wrong, but it was like she had to do it. She looked through the messages finding her name, Will's and Jack's. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Suddenly, she heard Karen's heels clicking against the floor in the hallway. She closed the purse and rushed over to her desk, picking up a pencil. Her curiosity was burning.


	14. Chapter 14

Jack's hands were soft and warm as he ran them over Karen's stomach. The lotion smelled of lavender and cocoa butter, and she took a deep breath. It was so soothing. If there was one thing she didn't want it was stretch marks. Jack was always volunteering to help when it came to his best friend.

"Grace asked me who the father is." He played with her suddenly strange looking bellybutton for a moment before she continued. "I don't like lying to her."

"I don't either, but I don't know how to tell her, honey." She sighed and met his soft blue eyes. "Besides, I think Will should tell her."

"Why don't you tell her together?"

"I don't know. Let's talk about something else."

"You mean like how your bellybutton is starting to look really weird?" He giggled and pushed on it with his finger.

"It does?" She looked down and scrunched her face at the sight. He wasn't lying, it did look weird. "And I'm only at four and a half months. That means it's going to get worse." He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her swelling stomach.

"Can I tell you a secret?" She nodded and he lay down next to her on her bed. He took her hand in his and rubbed some remaining lotion on it. "I sometimes wonder what it would be like if we were together."

"You mean like, if you were straight?"

"Yeah. Is that crazy?" She rolled over on her side and fully faced him.

"No, Poodle, it's not crazy. I've thought about it too." They shared a smile, a sweet feeling. "It'd just be so much easier that way because we already know so much about each other."

"I know." He draped his arm over her waist. "Sometimes I wonder if I could do it."

"Have sex with me?" Her eyes widened at the strange turn their conversation was taking.

"No, just be with you. You know, like your boyfriend." She smiled and placed her hand on his cheek, running her thumb back and forth. "What do you think?" She gave a short giggle.

"Kiss me and see, honey." He leaned forward and placed his lips upon hers. There was always a spark between them that couldn't be denied, and it was present every time their lips came together. He ran a hand through her hair, their tongues touched and a wave of seriousness attempted to overtake their minds. But, in unison, they each pulled away and laughed. "There's our answer."

"Maybe we should just be girlfriends." They giggled again and crawled under the covers to go to sleep. They definitely felt closer, and an unanswered question was quickly put to rest.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

His name slide between her lips in a breathy sigh as they continued to meet each other's pace. She suddenly let go of her orgasm, allowing it to wash over her whole body. She continued to move on top of him until he sat up and took her hips in his hands, changing her pace. Their lips met in a passionate kiss as he came inside of her. It was only when their motion stopped that their lips disconnected.

"Hold me close." He obeyed her request and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her shoulder. Their legs remained wrapped around one another as she ran her hands through his hair. Her orgasm had been so intensely satisfying that she felt like she couldn't move, for being so overwhelmed. He pulled back a little bit and kissed her lips, his tongue quickly finding hers.

"Stay the night." His whisper formed against her lips.

"I can't." He lay back down and pulled her with him, her legs still on either side of his hips. She took a deep breath and sighed as she laid her head against his chest, still enfolded in his embrace.

"Please, stay with me." He lifted her chin and met her hazel eyes, which were almost green in her current state. He ran a hand over her cheek, hoping to persuade her. She had come over to sign a document, innocently, but as soon as Grace decided to go on a date, they were found panting in his bed. She pecked his lips before allowing him to pull out of her. She didn't want to have a conversation about her friends while he was still inside her.

"What will Grace think when she comes home?"

"I don't care. I just want you here." She rolled off him and he quickly wrapped his arm around her, pulling her to his side. She placed a hand on his stomach.

"Honey, I want to, but I don't think it's the right thing right now." She shrugged and began to elaborate. "We can't make more of this than it is."

"What is it?"

"Amazing sex." She giggled shortly and leaned up to kiss his lips. Their eyes remained connected for a moment before she asked him a question that had been confusing her since their first time. "Will, if you're gay, why are you having sex with me?" He rolled her over and lay on top of her, resting on his elbows.

"I don't know. You're probably the most interesting woman I have ever met." He placed his lips against hers and she smiled. "And when I'm with you, I don't feel like gender matters. We have a weird mental connection, like we have a lot of similar thoughts and ways of thinking. Does that make sense?"

"I don't care if it does, honey, I like it."

"So, you're staying?" He smiled and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"It better be worth it." But somehow she knew it would be more than worth it. They kissed.


	15. Chapter 15

She woke up in his arms, smiling at the feeling of his strong embrace. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt so cared for, so secure. She looked into his face and smiled at how peaceful he looked. They had made love all night long, and she felt exhausted. But she knew that she would have to leave soon, they each needed to get to work. She kissed his neck and ran her hand down the front of his stomach, slowly grasping him in her hand. She mischievously bit her lower lip as she began to stroke him, moving her hand up and down.

He squirmed in his sleep and began to awaken. She licked his neck with the tip of her tongue and quickened the pace of her hand, squeezing a little harder. She hurriedly moved to kiss down to his erection, before he fully woke, and she quickly replaced her hand with her mouth. His eyes sprang open and he felt his body tensing, so turned on.

"Karen, what…" Before his question could continue she changed her pace, effectively silencing him. She sucked with her mouth while her hands massaged his frenulum, which was overly sensitive. He ran his hands through her hair as he felt himself nearing a climax. It was when he finally let go that he moaned. Her suction slowly ceased and she pulled her mouth from him, smiling at his reaction. "Oh my gosh."

"I'm sorry, honey, did I wake you?" She wiped the corner of her mouth before crawling up his body to find his lips with hers. He ran his hands over her still bare skin, resting them on her lower back.

"Will, I'm home!" They broke apart at Grace's voice from the living room. Karen quickly jumped from the bed and gathered her clothing before rushing into the bathroom. She closed the bathroom door as soon as Grace opened the bedroom door, revealing Will. He pretended that he had just woke and smiled when he saw her. In reality, he was very nervous. "You're still in bed? Do you know what time it is?"

"I know what time it is. Do you?" She rolled her eyes and rested against the doorframe. "How long does a date last?"

"We'll talk about it later. Get up." She left his room, closing the door, and went to take her shower. Karen emerged from his bathroom, fully dressed.

"Call me, honey." She was getting ready to lean down and kiss him, but he hurried to his feet and pulled her close. When he kissed her lips he placed a hand on her stomach, touching the form of his child. Suddenly, at an odd pressure between them, they pulled apart. She smiled and pulled his hand to her stomach again as the fluttering continued. "She's moving."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, honey." It was then that she felt something that she hadn't felt in a long time, excitement. Could she dare say that she was happy?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I'm so fat, Poodle."

"You're silly. You aren't fat, you're pregnant." She rolled her eyes as she finally put on a shirt that fit, with a maternity skirt.

"I know that, but I still don't like getting bigger."

"Well, at least people can tell your going to have a baby instead of you just being fat. You're a really cute pregnant girl." She giggled at his statement and sat next to him on the chaise lounge in her closet.

"Yeah, well, you're cute gay boy." She nudged him with her elbow.

"I try."

"Listen, did you say a while back that your grandmother's name was Emily?"

"Yeah."

"Well, Poodle, would you mind if I brought it up to Will?"

"You want to name your baby after my grandmother?"

"It's not just my baby, honey. You're going to be the godfather, right? She should have some part of you too." He nodded, but jumped in surprise when he fully understood what she had said.

"You trust me with that?"

"Why wouldn't I? Besides, I'm not dying off so easily so you'll have time to think about it." She found a pair of heels that might not hurt her slightly swollen feet and turned to receive an embrace from him. She smiled as his arms tightened around her.

"I love you, Karebear."


	16. Chapter 16

She kicked her shoes off her feet and pushed them next to the leg of her desk. Five months of her pregnancy had gone by so quickly that she had barely noticed the passing time. She and Will were getting along very well, making love, but never speaking of the future. The problem was, the future was what scared her the most. What were they going to do?

It was too soon, in her mind, to know if she loved him. And she was almost certain that he wasn't in love with her. The plan she had in her mind seemed so much simpler before they had kissed, for the first time. If only she would have had self-control they would have never been in the current situation. But, suddenly, she wondered if she really wanted to take it back. So, her life didn't turn out the way she had planned, but that didn't mean it was wrong.

"Kare, what are you doing?" Grace walked into the office to find Karen staring across the office at the wall next to the swatch room. She jumped at her friend's voice and met her eyes.

"Oh, honey, I was just thinking." Grace smiled and walked over to her desk, placing her purse next to it.

"How was your appointment yesterday? I tried to call last night, but Jack said you were shopping for baby clothes." Lie. She was in her room with Will, making passionate love. She couldn't believe she allowed Jack to lie for her like that, it wasn't right.

"The doctor said we are fine, though I'm supposed to be gaining a little more weight. But he has to be joking because I'm huge." Grace laughed and began to do some work while Karen sighed and reached for her emery board. Her nails had been neglected for the past few days and she felt like she needed to work on them.

"Hi Grace." A man walked into the office and straight to Grace's desk, hugging her. They spoke for a few moments about some design scheme and how she was redecorating his apartment. He had apparently gone to high school with Grace and they had recently gotten back in touch.

"Oh, Chris this is Karen." Her eyes met his and she smiled. He walked closer to her and took her hand in his, placing his lips to the back of it. He smiled and his blue eyes sparkled.

"It's nice to meet you, Karen."

"You too, honey." He was quickly taken from their moment when Grace pulled him over to speak about some more designs. Karen watched him from her desk, surprised by the way her heart beat when their eyes met. He was very attractive, tall and dark. His deep blue eyes were the color of a tropical ocean, and they walked the lines of sensuality with just one gaze. She shook her head and wondered whether or not it was wrong for her to be thinking of him that way. She wasn't exactly in a relationship with Will, but they had been exclusive for a while. If something was beginning, she was sure she didn't want to ruin it. Plus, she was crazy about him.

"So, Karen, tell me about yourself." She looked up and found him in front of her desk again.

"Where's Grace?"

"She went on her lunch break. Didn't you hear her ask you to answer the phone?"

"Honey, she knows how to work voicemail." He chuckled and pulled up a stool to sit in front of her. She was nervous. It would have been fine if they would have flirted for a moment and he had left, but he stayed. She didn't want an opportunity to get to like him.

"You're eyes are beautiful, if you don't mind me saying so."

"Thank you." She looked into his eyes and couldn't help, but smile. "So, you're friends with Grace? You know, she isn't dating anyone right now." He laughed and leaned forward a little.

"Are you trying to get me to ask her out?"

"I'm just stating a fact. She's a nice girl."

"I know that, but I was thinking of asking you out." There it was, the part of the conversation she was dreading. She knew it was coming too, that was the worst part, and she still didn't know what to say.

"You just cut right to the chase, don't you?"

"What do you say?"

"I don't think that's such a good idea, honey."

"Grace said you were single. What other reason could you have?" She bit her bottom lip and scooted her seat back before standing in front of him. Her stomach was protruding and she shrugged when his eyes met hers. "Is that supposed to be your reason?"

"Are you kidding?" He stood as well and walked around the desk to stand closer to her. "I'm pregnant with another man's child and you still want to ask me out?"

"Yes." He shrugged and smiled at her. "I'll be around a lot while Grace is decorating my apartment. Let me know if you change your mind about it." She nodded and he smiled one last time before walking out the door. She let out her breath and sat down. Temptations were constant.


	17. Chapter 17

Chris was right, he was always around. He was usually there from three to five everyday. That was the time Grace set aside to work on his apartment, which turned out to be huge. When it was time for Karen to leave, he would usually walk her to the door and smile as she got into her limo.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Gracie." Karen called over her shoulder as she entered the service elevator. As expected, Chris followed her and the door was soon closing. "You know, I am capable of finding the door on my own. You don't have to walk me out everyday."

"I like to. It gives me a chance to talk you into going out with me." She gave him an amused look.

"Honey, I told you…" Suddenly the elevator screeched to a halt, causing them to lose their balance. He caught her as she fell forward and they slammed against the wall. Neither of them moved for a moment, trying to understand the situation, his arms were still tight around her. Her cheeks took on a blush as she backed away from him, wondering what was happening.

"I think it's stuck. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She reached into her purse and called Grace on her cell phone. She was suddenly claustrophobic.

----------

"How long has it been now?" She groaned as she looked across the elevator at Chris. They were seated on the floor, having been stuck for a while.

"We just hit forty minutes." She sighed and leaned her head back against the wall. "I've told you about my childhood and my divorce. What about you?"

"Honey, I told you about all my divorces too. Pick a better topic."

"Like what?"

"I don't know."

"I'll just ask you questions then. Who's your favorite musician?"

"Vanessa Mae, electric violinist."

"When's your birthday?"

"November twelfth."

"Will you go out with me?" She met his eyes and sighed. "Why do you always say no?"

"Why won't you take a hint?" He scooted over to sit next to her, his cologne brushing her senses. Her harsh tone didn't even put him off, he didn't seem to notice.

"I've known you for two weeks, and I think we have chemistry. I'd like to take you out to dinner and then we could take in a play. Does that sound so bad?" She shook her head. No, it didn't sound bad at all. It sounded wonderful, but she just didn't feel right about it. She unlaced her fingers and reached over to his leg to rest her hand on the back of his.

"Honey, I'm going to tell you a secret." She paused, biting her lip. "I am still kind of seeing the guy who got me pregnant."

"Oh." He looked down at their hands, confused. "But why is it a secret?"

"Because it's Will." His eyes snapped to meet her gaze, shocked. He had only spent a short amount of time with Will, but he was completely aware of the circumstances between all of them. "I can't find a way to tell Grace without her getting angry. Jack already knows."

"Karen, what are you doing?" She was surprised at how sincere he was. It was as if they had known each other for years, old friends. "You're dating a gay man and having his baby?"

"It was an accident. It only happened once, and I got pregnant. My husband and I divorced and I've been seeing Will ever since. He's sweet to me."

"He may be sweet to you, but you're living in a fantasy world if you think he isn't attracted to men anymore. I believe you have the power to change people's sexual preferences, Karen, but you should be careful. It would be easy for you to get hurt." She gave a small smile at his words. He wasn't speaking in a judgmental tone of voice, only a caring one. It was something she appreciated. "And you should tell Grace. You four are a group of friends that deserve honesty from each other."

"I'd like to say yes to you, honey. I would just feel too guilty right now."

"I understand. Just know my offer always stands." They shared an understanding smile until the elevator hummed to life. He helped her from the ground and walked her to her limo.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Poodle, what do you think about my relationship with Will?" They were lying on the floor with their legs over the seat of the couch, observing the ceiling for one reason or another. Fashion magazines were scattered on each side of them. He turned to face her and furrowed his brow.

"I don't know. He seems really happy, and you smile a lot more since you kind of worked stuff out."

"Yeah, but do you think he could…never mind." She sighed, rolling her eyes, and faced the ceiling once again. "It's foolish."

"Do I think he could ever love you?" She couldn't say how, but a tear fell from the corner of her eye at his inquiry. She closed her eyes and shook her head.

"This really great man keeps asking me out, and I don't know what to do. I mean, I like him, but I don't want to screw up anything with Will. But if Will and I could... What should I do, honey?"

"Ask him how he feels."

"But what if I don't like how he feels?" Jack smiled softly before sitting up, his back against the couch. He took her hand in his.

"Well, maybe then you'll know how _you_ feel."


	18. Chapter 18

She walked into his apartment after her talk with Jack. She knew he was right and she wanted to talk to Will immediately. But what she saw when she entered; she would have never been able to prepare herself for.

She gasped as she saw him, a man's hand resting on the front of his pants, playing with his button. He wasn't moving, allowing the man to kiss him. She had made love to him only two nights before and there he was screwing around with someone who wasn't her. She slammed the door behind her and the men quickly jumped apart. Will's eyes widened and he stood, rushing over to explain.

"Karen…"

"You son of a bitch."

"Let me explain." He reached for her, but she slapped him away. She didn't want to be touched by him, barely even wanted to look at him.

"Okay, explain it to me! Tell me why his hands are in your pants when you just fucked me the other night!"

"Just listen…"

"I'm carrying your child, Will!" A sudden anger entered his body and he couldn't stop himself from replying so hastily.

"We aren't a couple, Karen!" He spoke her name with and edge and her blood was boiling. "What the hell am I supposed to do, just wait for something real to happen between us? As you've reminded me repeatedly, we're just fuck-buddies!"

"I hate you." She didn't know why the words fell from her lips, they weren't true. But she wanted to hurt him, just as he had hurt her. She tried to walk away, but he took her hand in his. As quickly as they had touched, she slapped him away. She rushed from his apartment and to the elevator. Her tears burnt her eyes as she sat on the floor of the apparatus and held her face in her hands. She hoped to God that it was all a dream.

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Jack held her while she slept after she had caught Will with another man. He couldn't believe it, and he knew there had to be some explanation for what was happening. But he promised her that he wouldn't say anything, and they fell asleep.

She walked into the office at noon a few days after her confrontation with Will. She couldn't bring herself to leave her bed for a while, but she decided to stop sulking and try getting on with life. Her heart was bruised, broken. It wasn't until she saw Will with that man that she truly knew how she felt about him. Grace and Chris smiled at her as she sat down at her desk, each obviously having no idea what was happening in her life.

"You're looking beautiful, Karen." Chris smiled brightly as she kicked off her shoes.

"Spare the sweet talk, honey, it's not working today." And the afternoon continued, quickly enough. Chris and Grace had been to lunch for almost an hour and they would soon return. He had been there earlier than usual and it gave her a brightening sensation. It was sad, but she felt oddly protected when he and Grace were around. It was as if they were some sort of crutch for her. When they were around, she didn't have to think about her feelings or her problems. And sometimes she thought it was better that way. Besides, feelings were useless in the great scheme of life.

Her cell phone rang in her purse on the coat-tree and she hurried to answer it. Jack had an audition and he promised to call as soon as he was finished. However, in her rush to get to her phone she forgot that her shoes were still resting on the floor. She tripped over them and fell forward, barely able to catch herself. The floor was hard against her knees and her breasts as she slammed against it. She rolled over and took a deep breath, waiting for the pain to stop. Her phone stopped ringing, but she no longer cared. Her main concern was the safety of her child. She ran her hands over her stomach and sighed in relief as the baby kicked against the pressure. She couldn't control her heavy breathing, and pain was still shooting through her muscles.

"Karen, are you okay?" Grace and Chris rushed into the office and helped her from the floor. She could see the panic etched on their faces and rolled her eyes, vaguely attempting to calm herself. She didn't want them to know how close she was to tears.

"I'm fine, honey. I just left my damned shoes in my way." She shook it off and got her phone from her purse before sitting back at her desk. She called Jack and learned that he had in fact gotten a call back for his audition. When she hung up the phone Chris walked over to sit in front of her desk.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes." The truth was she was still shaking. She felt nauseous, and her heart was still pounding in her chest.

"Well, I'm pretty committed so I'll ask the same question again today. Would you like to go to dinner with me tonight?" She tilted her head to the side and looked into his eyes. He furrowed his brow. "Maybe I should take you home. You look kind of pale."

"You don't have to."

"I want to. I'm sure Grace won't mind." She thought for a moment and nodded to his request. She put her heels on as he walked over to get her purse. When she stood from her desk and grabbed her cell phone a warm liquid began to run down her legs. She looked down and gasped as blood quickly rushed past her knees. When she looked behind her she realized that it was on her chair as well. She began to panic, her breathing very heavy. Tears fell from her eyes. "Karen?"

"Oh my gosh!" Grace rushed over to her and met her eyes, almost afraid to touch her. "What's happening?"

"I don't know." She began to sob uncontrollably as her friend rushed to call an ambulance, wishing she knew how to ease the blood flow. She leaned forward at a shooting pain in her stomach, feeling the blood flow onto her shoes. Chris wrapped his arm around her back and swiftly lifted her into his arms. She wrapped one arm around his neck and the other around her baby.

"Don't worry about it, Grace. Her limo's downstairs." He carried her to the limo, not even worrying about the blood that was staining each of their clothing. He even held her in his arms until they arrived at the hospital.


	19. Chapter 19

Her hazel eyes scanned the ceiling of her hospital room as she waited for her friends to be brought in. Jack had arrived shortly after being called, worried into panic. A few minutes after the doctor left the room, Jack rushed through the door and to her side. He leaned over her and hugged her as closely as he could.

"I was so worried, Karebear. How are you?"

"I'm so glad you're here, Poodle." She held him close, whispering in his ear. Tears fell from her eyes. "She's okay."

"Thank God." The tender moment was broken when Grace and Chris entered as well. Grace hugged her, but Chris stayed back, silently. She looked at him and wiped a few tears from her cheeks.

"Oh, honey, look at your suit." He had her blood smeared all over his designer suit. She felt terrible. "We'll go shopping, and I'll buy you a new one." He smiled and cut her off with a wave of his hand.

"Its fine, Karen, I'm just glad you're okay." And she was. She and the baby were alright. Apparently her high amount of stress added to her fall was too much for her body to handle. She began to bleed, but the doctors were able to stop it with some medication. If everything was fine within the next twenty-four hours, she would be allowed to go home. Her doctor, however, had suggested she stay in bed for a week or so, taking stress from her body.

"Karen." Will rushed into the hospital room, his eyes glossy. Every eye turned and Karen felt her throat tighten at the sight of him. It was the first time she had seen him since their argument. Jack stood tall and squeezed her hand as Will walked closer, timidly. He addressed the rest of the group. "Could I speak with her alone for a minute?"

"No, go away."

"I really need to talk to you."

"Say it in front of them if it's that important." She narrowed her eyes, knowing that he wouldn't dare. She was right. He nodded and turned around to leave. Grace looked at Karen for a moment before she followed Will. She was too curious to stop herself.

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"Will, what's going on?" Grace followed him all the way out of the hospital when she finally got close enough to grab his arm. She pulled him around to face her, but couldn't speak when she found tears streaming down his face. He was borderline hysterical. "Will…"

"I fucked everything up, Grace." She pulled him into a hug as he cried into her shoulder. "I love her so much." Her heart froze. He was talking about Karen. She led him over to a bench outside the doors and they sat. She pulled herself away from him and waited for him to gain composure.

"You're in love with Karen?" Her voice took an incredulous sound and his eyes shot into hers with the force of a thousand bullets.

"Are you that blind, Grace? That's my baby." He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, sniffling. "We've been seeing each other for months. But it feels like we've been together forever. And, Grace, I want to be with her so much, but I fucked it up."

"How?" She swallowed hard, knowing that it wasn't the time or the place for her to act selfish. He obviously needed her. Her hands were shaking.

"Michael came over the other day and told me that he wanted me back. I said no because I was with Karen, but he kissed me. It felt so right to be with him, and before I could control myself she walked in on us. Do you know how much it hurts to hurt her, Grace?" He began to cry again, but she didn't move to hold him.

"How could you?" He met her eyes, unable to stall his tears. Her words had more than one meaning, but his response answered every one.

"I don't know."


	20. Chapter 20

She had spent the past three days in bed and it was driving her crazy. She wasn't allowed to go to work, and she was constantly looking forward to the day when she would be allowed to move. The only movement she could make was to go to the bathroom and take a bath. She was thankful for Jack though. He had stayed by her side the whole time, catering to her every need. He was always such a good friend.

"He's still downstairs. Maybe you should talk to him."

"No." Jack handed her a glass of water and shrugged. Will had been sleeping in her library ever since she was released from the hospital. She just couldn't bring herself to talk to him. She didn't even want to look at him.

"I've heard his side of the story, Kare, and I think you should hear it too."

"You think I should give in and let him walk all over me?"

"No, I think you should give him a chance to explain. You were talking about how you didn't know what your relationship meant, and chances are he was confused too. If you talked to him then maybe you'd understand."

"Please, honey, just get him to leave." He nodded and leaned down to peck her lips before going downstairs to ask Will to go home. She wasn't ready to talk to him. Then she wondered, when would she be ready? What was the proper amount of time to keep her distance when there were still unanswered questions? She not only wanted the answers, she needed them. For her mind to be at ease she needed to know the real truth behind his actions. Before she could think any further she had thrown the covers from her body and stood from the bed. She brushed her hair and made herself look a little more presentable before she began to walk downstairs. His voice became audible when she appeared in the doorframe.

"I can't leave until I talk to her, Jack."

"Then talk." Her voice was colder than expected and his eyes snapped to meet hers.

"Karen, get back in bed." Jack rushed over to her and placed his hands on her arm.

"No, honey, just give me a few minutes." He nodded, a little unwillingly before he left the room. "Talk."

"I'm so sorry, Karen. You have every right to be angry with me." She crossed her arms over her six month pregnant stomach and hardened her gaze. "You should sit down."

"Do you think I need you to tell me that?" He shook his head and licked his lips, nervous. She liked him that way, at the moment. It was easier to dominate the situation. "Tell me what happened before I walked through your door." She needed to know, to make sure she hadn't given so much of herself to him for nothing at all.

"That man was Michael. He was the first man I ever fell in love with, and he was visiting to tell me that he wanted me back. But, Karen, I told him no because I was with you. I don't want him. Before I knew what was happening, he kissed me. I realized something though, it meant nothing. There were no butterflies in my stomach, not like with you. I've never felt the things I feel with other people that I feel when I'm with you."

"I thought you cared about me, really. Even though you're supposed to be gay, and we have everything pushing against us I thought we could…hell I don't even know what I thought." She looked away from him. Perhaps she should have thought about what she had to say before rushing downstairs.

"I love you, Karen."

"Obviously." She couldn't help, but chuckle a little at how absurd he sounded.

"It was just a kiss."

"Tell me this, if I hadn't walked in when I did, what would have happened? Would it still have just been a kiss?"

"Yes." He walked closer to her, hoping she could see the sincerity of his words. "I'm in love with you. I know what I did, and I know how stupid I sound right now. I don't want to beg, but please forgive me. I'll do anything to make it up to you."

"Say I agree to forgive you. What happens when you decide you want something I can't give you?"

"You're perfect the way you are." He reached his hand to touch her shoulder, surprised that she allowed him to do so. "I don't know what to say except that I'm so sorry." She tapped her foot against the floor, wanting to believe his words. But Karen Walker was not a fool. She knew that words could only go so far.

"Give me time to think, honey. I'm really confused right now." He took a risk and quickly pressed his lips against hers in a desperate kiss. She didn't move for a moment, but once the spark hit her stomach she found herself kissing him back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close. She wanted so much to take him back right then and there, to take him to her room and hold him close. But she also knew that she couldn't give in so easily. If she did, it might make him think he could be forgiven in an instant. She pulled away and met his eyes.

"I love you." He pecked her cheek and left for home, knowing that she needed space. She heard the door close as he left, and a tear fell down her face.

"I love you too." And for that, she couldn't help, but feel angry with herself.

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Karen walked into Grace's office after she had been on bed rest for a week. Despite the problems she was having with her feelings, she actually felt rejuvenated. Her stress levels were down, and she felt very well rested.

"Good morning, Gracie." She sat down at her desk and smiled to her friend.

"You're back. How are you feeling?"

"Actually, honey, I'm feeling really well." Grace walked over to her and placed a vase of roses on her desk. "What's this for?"

"Chris asked me to give make sure these were on your desk when you came back to work. He should be here soon" She smiled and took the card from the leaves. She had never really cared too much for flowers, but she found it oddly sweet. "So, what's going on with you two?"

"Oh, it's nothing. He keeps asking me out."

"Did you say no because of Will?" Her gaze snapped from the flowers to meet Grace's. It seemed impossible for her mouth to form words at the moment so she just stared. "He told me when you were in the hospital."

"Honey, I don't know what to say." She stood from her chair and walked around her desk, coming closer to her friend.

"You don't have to say anything; he already told me the story."

"But we lied to you, and worst of all, we let Jack lie to you."

"I understand why you did it." She reached out and took her assistant's hand in her own. Their eyes were in a deep connection. "I really wish you'd give him another chance."

"How much did he tell you?"

"Everything, even how much it hurt him to hurt you. But, can I just say that you two are perfect for each other. I never noticed before that your personalities contrast so well. It's great. And I think it'd be a big mistake if you let him go like this."

"I appreciate it, Grace, but I need a little time to think. I need to try out a few of my options before I make that decision. Does that make sense?" She shrugged and questioningly looked into Grace's eyes.

"You're smart, Karen."

"I hope so, honey." They smiled to one another before Karen leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on Grace's mouth. Grace smiled.

"You know, I've never kissed a pregnant woman before. It's kind of hot." They laughed for a moment. When the laughter subsided, they remained still. Karen tilted her head for a moment before she pressed their lips together again. She couldn't have said why, but she wanted to feel that closeness with Grace that was lacking for a while. Grace kissed back and wrapped her arms around her friend's body. It wasn't at all sexual; on the contrary, it was very friendly. Chris walked through the door, happily, but stopped in his tracks when he saw the two women, renewing their kiss. He cleared his voice, and they pulled apart.

"Am I interrupting something?" The women smiled and Grace began to giggle before walking back to her desk, opening a sketch pad. Karen walked closer to Chris.

"Thank you for the flowers, honey. It's really nice of you." He shrugged and looked into her eyes, still a little confused about her lip-lock with Grace. "Listen, I've been thinking, and I was wondering if you're free for dinner tonight." His eyes widened and he tilted his head.

"But what about you and…" She raised her hand to stop him from saying his name.

"We're currently estranged. So, what do you say, honey? Pick me up at seven?"

"I'll be there at seven thirty. You should wear something nice." She smiled to him before going to use the bathroom. He walked over to Grace. "Did you hear that? She just asked me out."

"Just don't let yourself get hurt."


	21. Chapter 21

Jack and Karen went for a quick shopping trip, trying their hardest to find a cute maternity dress. It was difficult, but they finally found one that was worth buying. They returned home and did her hair and makeup until it was perfect. As Karen put on some jewelry and perfume, Jack sat on the bed and watched her.

"Are you going out with him just to hurt Will?"

"No, Poodle, I really like him." And she did, it wasn't a lie. Chris was a very sweet and charming man, whom she honestly adored. She had known him for a while so it felt good to finally get some alone time with him, other than getting stuck in the elevator. "I would never do that."

"Then why haven't you talked to him? Are you just going to draw a line under what you had?" She turned around on her vanity stool to face him, hoping to ease his mind.

"Honey, what Will and I had is complicated. I want some time to think about it, and I'd like to spend that time with Chris. We might get along, and _then_ I'll know how I feel about Will."

"You're using him, Karen." She had never thought of it that way, but she already knew that it wasn't at all like that. Using someone who was so caring to her was something that even she wouldn't do, she couldn't fathom the idea.

"I'm trying to move on."

"Why move on if you don't have to? Will wants you, he told you he loves you, and, you know what, I believe him. He is so lost without you."

"I can't be with him just because he needs me, honey. I have to know if I need him too. Please don't make me feel guilty about trying to find happiness."

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She laughed loudly at his story, an embarrassing one at that. It was difficult to believe that he was so funny. He was usually a laid back man, but he had been upbeat and lively all evening. It was a side of him that she hadn't really witnessed before, but she liked it a lot.

"Thank you for dinner, honey. It was nice." She walked next to him as they made their way down a sidewalk. It was a beautiful evening and they decided to walk back to her manse instead of taking the limo.

"I'm just glad we finally got to do this." He took her hand in his and she smiled at the contact. His palm was warm against hers. "I'm still completely baffled about your childhood."

"Oh, that's water under the bridge now. But keep most of that stuff to yourself. I don't know why, but you're really easy to tell secrets to." He chuckled and they turned the corner to walk down another sidewalk.

"Could I ask you a question?" She nodded and he continued, suddenly a bit nervous. "Well, um, are you excited about your baby?" She was surprised by his question. It was something that she wasn't sure she had been asked in a while, and the truth was she barely knew the answer.

"Honestly, Jack and I went to an abortion clinic when I first found out." He quickly turned his head to face her. She nodded, knowing that he was shocked. "I couldn't do it though, obviously. I just didn't want a child."

"And how do you feel about it now?"

"I thought I was going to lose her, honey." He removed his hand from hers and wrapped it around her shoulders, showing his understanding. "I think that now I want her more than anything. Doesn't that sound crazy?" She giggled and shook her head, trying to break a soft moment. It felt too weak all of a sudden.

"No, it sounds great. My ex-wife and I tried for kids, but it never happened. I think it's great when people feel that way about children." They continued to speak until they reached her building. He opened the door for her and they were soon in the elevator, on their way up. "Let's just hope this thing doesn't stop."

"Shh, don't say that, honey. What if it does?" He smiled and they waited for the door to finally open. He walked her to her door and the moment came for a goodnight kiss. However, he didn't initiate it. Instead, he gave her a soft smile and reached out to shake her hand. She giggled. "You're not going to kiss me?" He laughed at her forwardness.

"It's only our first date. How far do you expect me to go?" She moved closer to him and smiled.

"Honey, I've gone a lot further." She stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his. The short moment was all it took for them to feel sparks passing between their fused mouths. She pulled away from the kiss in a sweet motion and looked into his eyes. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good." He wavered a moment before leaning down and kissing her again. She responded and placed her palm to his cheek, softly. The baby kicked in between them and he broke their kiss with a smile. "Does she like me?"

"I think we do." She smiled, for the millionth time that evening, before she walked into her manse. She fell into a semi-peaceful sleep that evening, but Will's image still appeared in her dreams.


	22. Chapter 22

She sat on her bed and looked at the picture on her cell phone. It was one that was taken when they were on her boat. That little trip was one that was full of surprises, but she had always believed that it brought the group of friends closer. She had snapped the picture of Will when he was sleeping beside her. He quickly woke at the flash and smiled. She took another picture and that was the one she kept. She sighed as she remembered the way he made love to her that night, and the many nights after.

Even though she had been going out with Chris, she still couldn't get her mind off Will. She missed him so much, his hands and his smile. There was no doubt in her mind that no man would ever make love to her the way that he had. But that was only the physical aspect of their relationship. She loved the way he spoke when they were in each other's arms. It was always so honest. She couldn't ever remember a time when he had lied to her. She picked up her phone, as if she were on automatic, and began to dial his number.

"Karen?" His voice made her heart jump. It was then that she fully realized what she was doing. But it was too late. She needed to speak to him for her sanity.

"Hi, honey." She didn't know what to say. There was no real reason for her to call him other than the fact that she missed his voice. "Are you busy?"

"No. I just got off work." There was a long pause; she could hear him breathing.

"I miss you." Her words were soft, and he wasn't sure if she had really spoken for a moment. He cleared his voice. He didn't want to say it back until he knew the true meaning for the telephone call, it would seem too emotional.

"Do you need something?"

"Not particularly. I just wanted to talk for a minute."

"Okay. How's the baby?"

"She's great, healthy." She lay back on her bed, running a hand through her hair. "Her mother's kind of a wreck, though."

"To be honest, her father is too." She took a deep breath and tears began to prickle at the corners of her eyes. She didn't know what she expected when she spoke to him, but she certainly didn't want him to be unhappy, even if she was. "Karen, about what happened…"

"It doesn't really matter anymore, does it?" He didn't respond. It was her call, the whole situation. It was known by both of them that all she had to do was ask, and they would be together again. She was just so scared. "I was thinking back to that week when we went out on my boat. Do you remember that?"

"How could I forget?"

"Do you remember what I said about regrets?"

"You said that…regrets are useless because it's only the future that matters."

"Right." She licked her lips and looked around to make sure no one was around, especially Jack. "Well, the problem with that is I have so many regrets, honey, but none of them involve you. And in this case, the future matters more than anything." Her tears fell from her eyes at the words and she sniffled at her odd sort of confession.

"Please don't cry." He always hated it when she cried, knowing that she was feeling weak. It hurt even more to know that he was the cause of her tears. "I never wanted to hurt you, Kare, and you know that. I don't know what to do to make it up to you. What do you want me to do?" She took a deep breath.

"Come over."

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He knocked on the door, and she slowly reached forward to open it. When the door was finally open, a barrier removed, she looked straight into his dark brown eyes. They were each stuck to their positions, unable to make the first move.

"Come in, honey." Her whisper sounded sweet to his ears. He loved the sound of her voice. He stepped through the doorway and she closed it as he turned to face her.

"Where's Jack?"

"He went shopping for furniture for the nursery. It's almost finished." He nodded. She couldn't help, but notice that he looked different, tired. But at the same instant he looked exactly the same. She reached her hand up to touch his face, the first contact they had had in a while. She noticed that he had shaved for her; a lonely tear fell down her cheek before she rushed forward to hug him. He held her close and ran his hands over her back.

"I missed you so much." They cried together and held each other close until the tears subsided. She looked up into his flooded eyes, and he slowly pressed his lips to hers. Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck at the contact of his kiss. He lifted her from her spot on the ground and she held him tighter as he carried her up the stairs, their mouths still fused.

He closed the door of her bedroom by pressing her against it, sighing as her tongue penetrated his lips. She pushed his jacket from his shoulders and it hit the carpeted floor with a muffled sound. He kicked off his shoes as they made their way towards the bed. They could talk later.

He lay her down on the soft mattress and pulled away to look into her eyes. Things were moving quickly and he wanted to make sure it was really what she wanted. She slowly reached to the bottom of his shirt and ran her hands beneath it, removing it from his body while caressing his chest. He felt so soft against her palms and she couldn't help, but smile. She reached down and unbuckled his pants, allowing them to slide to the floor from his half-standing position.

Slowly he slid his hands up her thighs, pushing past her panty-line and up to her shoulders. The fabric of her dress softly caressed her skin as he pushed it over her head, leaving her clad in her bra and panties only. He took his boxers down. Her hands, which were previously above her head, were running through his hair as they lay down on their sides and kissed. She ran a hand over his lower back as he reached down to push her panties off.

Her protruding stomach stopped him from making a connection. He pulled away from their kiss and questioningly looked into her eyes, unsure whether or not she should even be making love. There wasn't much he knew about sex during later pregnancy. She smiled and rolled over, pressing her back to his stomach. He smiled as well and kissed her cheek as their connection was finally made.

"Oh, Will." Her words came in a sigh, a small whimper. He reached his hand around her stomach as he continued to kiss her cheek, until she turned her head and caught his lips. He began to gently thrust and she bit his lower lip in pleasure, sighing. It felt so good to be with him again, finally.

The wind made the window creak for a moment while his fingers unclasped her bra, tickling her back before gripping her hip. He sped his pace. She could hear his breathing in her ear and it made her smile. She loved the feeling of his body against hers, and the sounds of his breath were making her shiver.

Her orgasm was slowly beginning to burn in the pit of her stomach as she moved her hips to meet his rhythm. It was as if they were taken to another planet, beyond the clouds. She sighed as he changed the pace once again, and she found his lips in a tight and sensual kiss. She gripped his hair in her hand.

He ran a hand over her bare breasts, feeling the fullness of her flesh. She felt so soft against his body. He went faster, plowing into her like never before. Her lower muscles began to flex and she awaited her release, only holding back a little. She wanted to shiver with him, reach the edge in unison.

Her wish was granted as she began to convulse under his power. He filled her and continued to move inside her as the pleasure poured from their souls. They each moaned lightly as the waves began to cease. When he finally did stop, their lips fought in a ruthless battle. He hugged her close from behind when they began to relax, collapsing lightly against the bed.

"Wow, Kare." She sighed, trying to calm her breathing. "Are you okay?"

"I'm seeing stars." He chuckled, leaning forward to kiss her temple, damp with perspiration. He pulled out of her and rolled her over so he could look into her eyes. She pecked his lips and caressed his cheek with her hand. "I love you." Her eyes were shining a deep green color that contrasted with her flushed cheeks, making her look angelic. He ran a hand through her hair.

"I love you too."

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They had talked for hours, and by the time they got out of bed it was nine o'clock in the evening. He had held her in his arms for the first time in more than a month. The last time he made love to her, her stomach was a lot smaller. It seemed like, in a flash, she was seven months pregnant.

"Are you going to spend the night with me?" She was standing next to the bed, completely naked. Her head was tilted to the side as she awaited his response.

"After being without you for so long, do you honestly think I would even want to leave?" She leaned down and found his boxers from the floor, stepping into them. "Hey, what are you doing?"

"Your underwear are more comfortable than mine, honey." She smiled and bit her bottom lip as she began pulling his tee-shirt over her head.

"What am I going to wear?"

"I like it best when you wear nothing." She smiled as he stood from the bed and kissed her. She squealed in surprise when he tried to take the shirt from her body.

"It's mine." He joked, and she giggled before squirming away from him and running downstairs. He chased her and they continued to laugh until she ran into the kitchen. He finally caught her and pressed his lips against hers. She ran her hands over his bare buttocks and squeezed, making him jump. Suddenly, the lights were turned on, and Jack was standing in the doorway of the kitchen, speechless. The lovers pulled apart and Will hid his naked form behind Karen.

"Poodle, I didn't hear you come in."

"Obviously."

"Did you have fun shopping?" She was trying her hardest to make it seem like the situation was normal. The harsh truth was that she was embarrassed, and her heart was begging to be released from her chest.

"They're delivering the crib and changing table tomorrow. Since when did you two get back together?"

"Well, honey, I called him this afternoon and we talked about some stuff. And I think we worked it out." She looked up to Will's eyes, hoping he agreed with her assumption. He nodded and shifted his position, wishing he had at least grabbed a blanket before running after her.

"Oh." Jack nodded, but he was still speechless. Oddly enough, he didn't have a problem with them being together. He would have rather Karen be with Will than anyone else, and that fact would have made him smile if he weren't so embarrassed. "I'm going to bed. I'm uncomfortable."

"Goodnight." He left the room and Karen and Will smiled to one another.


	23. Chapter 23

Karen and Grace were at Chris' apartment, putting some finishing touches on her designs. The apartment was finally finished. It seemed as if it had taken forever, but the amount of money she was getting for it was plenty reward. Plus, she had been reacquainted with an old friend, so she won in many ways.

"Grace, have you talked to Will recently?" She turned to her assistant, who was fluffing a few pillows on the couch.

"Actually, I haven't seen him in a couple of days. We keep missing each other every time we go home." She laughed before sitting on the new couch. Karen flopped down next to her. "Why?"

"I guess he hasn't told you we're back together?"

"You are?" She turned to face her friend, astounded. "I didn't even know you were talking, let alone…" She let her sentence trail away, her brow furrowed. "What about Chris?"

"I'm going to tell him tonight." She shrugged, honestly not knowing what she was going to tell him. It wasn't her plan going into the relationship to end it so quickly. It had barely even begun to blossom. "Honey, are you okay with us being together? I mean, we didn't really tell anyone before, and I don't want you to be angry with us."

"I like you being together. I'm just sick of all the drama." They giggled together. Just as Karen laid her head against the back of the couch, Chris walked through the door of his newly finished apartment.

"Grace, this is beautiful." The old friends spoke for at least a half hour, talking about the furniture and the design scheme. Karen listened as she awaited her moment to speak to him, only wishing she didn't have to hurt his feelings. When Grace finally decided to leave for home, she walked past Karen and helped her stand. They said their goodbyes with a peck on the lips, and she was finally alone to talk with Chris.

"I need to talk to you about something, honey." She gave him a small smile, sort of apologetic.

"Let's go to dinner then?" He stepped forward and took her hands in his. "I know this great new Mexican restaurant…"

"I'm getting back with Will." He dropped her hands and narrowed his eyes.

"The guy who you caught kissing someone else?"

"Yes, but he's also the father of my baby."

"That's not a good reason to be with someone. I thought you were furious at him."

"First off, that's not the only reason." She licked her lips and took a deep breath. It was just as difficult as she had imagined. The worst part was, she really did like him. He was sweet, attentive, and a generally good person. "I love him, honey."

"You knew that, yet you still pursued a relationship with me. I thought we were getting somewhere. I mean, you showed me your boobs."

"To be fair, they fell out of my shirt. Everyone's seen my boobs."

"That's not the point." His voice found an edge, and it was the first time she had ever seen him upset.

"I really like you, honey." She walked forward and placed her palm on his chest. "But Will and I have been through so much together already. You're going to find someone who deserves you, I promise, and…I'm sorry." He leaned down and placed his lips upon hers, his way of saying goodbye.

"I'll see you around." She nodded and patted his face before picking up her purse and walking towards the door, one last look and she was gone.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Months had passed, and her due date was nearing. Ever since she and Will had resumed their relationship, time seemed to have sped up. Their days were filled with smiles while their nights were filled with passionate love making and words of love. It was the type of bond she had been waiting her whole life to have with someone.

Grace had thrown a baby shower, even though Karen continuously told her not to, and the nursery became fuller every day. Jack had been doing a lot of shopping as well. They were all completely prepared for the birth of the baby; all except Karen. She was terrified.

She had always been told that childbirth was the worst pain a woman could ever feel, and that frightened her. She had been reading books on the subject, and she felt that she knew what to do when the time came to deliver, but she didn't feel ready to be a mother. What would she do when her daughter got sick? What if she couldn't get her to stop crying, or to get to sleep? The little things scared her, and she felt more nervous than ever. But Will always did wonders in calming her nerves. He would tell her all the things she needed to hear, and she was thankful for him.

His hands gripped her shoulders as he pushed to bring her to climax. She was close, he could tell, and his knees were growing weak. He could feel her arms and knees beginning to shake, for holding up her body weight, and he sat back on his calves, pulling her with him. She lifted her arm and wrapped it around his neck, pulling him in for a kiss as she turned her head to meet his lips.

Her legs were on either side of his thighs as he bounced her on his lap from behind. Her breath got caught in her throat and she felt herself let go, shivering and shaking against his warm chest. She could feel his stomach flexing against her lower back as she moved her hips to bring him to the same pleasure.

He moaned and bit her shoulder when his orgasm struck his body. She smiled and they continued to move until the waves faded. His legs were going numb from holding their combined weight. He pulled out of her and they flopped down onto the mattress, breathing frantically. He took her hand in his.

"Honey, you just keep getting better and better." She rolled on her side and ran her hand over his chest. He smiled and placed his hand atop hers. "I just can't wait until I get this baby out of me. I want to hold you close."

"Yeah, but didn't you say you had to wait like six weeks after giving birth? Who can wait that long?" She giggled and moved so that she could kiss him, a somewhat difficult task with her size. "Do you realize that we will be parents soon?"

"But we still haven't picked a name." She sighed and lay on her back again, still maintaining their fused hands. "Should we try again?"

"I don't know, should we? It sounds like another argument waiting to happen." She shrugged and turned to meet his eyes. "I still think it should be something traditional, like Margaret."

"Ew, nothing like that."

"Jennifer?"

"No, honey, that's the most common name I know."

"Anita?"

"From _West Side Story_?"

"Then what do you want to name her?" She thought for a moment and suddenly remembered all the conversations she had with Jack. It had been such a serious subject of conversation that she was surprised she could have ever forgotten.

"Why don't we name her Emily, after Jack's grandmother?"

"Isn't that just as common as Jennifer?"

"Maybe, but I think it's pretty." He rolled over to face her before he kissed her lips, sweetly. "Emily Nicole?"

"I like it." She smiled and he brushed his hand over her cheek. "As long as we can name the next one something like Margaret." She scoffed and he laughed at the look on her face. "You don't want another one?"

"Not on your fucking life."


	24. Chapter 24

Two days overdue, and she was miserable. Her feet were so swollen that she no longer tried to wear shoes, she was always sweating, and her body ached. She was finished, ready to be done with her pregnancy. It wasn't beautiful, as many women said, it was despondent.

"Karebear, I have a present for you!" Jack giggled and excitedly rushed into her library. She was reading a romance novel on her couch. Her feet were up and her eyes were heavy with fatigue. He had something behind his back.

"What is it, Poodle?"

"Put down your book and close your eyes." She sighed and dropped her book onto the floor, closing her eyes, just as he said. "You ready?"

"Yes." He giggled as he pulled a small black mass from behind his back. He sat it down on her very large stomach, and it moved causing her to open her eyes in shock. She smiled and moved her hands to grasp it. "Honey, you got me a kitten?"

"Isn't she the cutest thing ever?" He sat down next to her feet as she petted the small kitten, smiling as it mewed in response. "I rescued her from the pound."

"She's adorable, honey, but I don't think cats are supposed to be around babies."

"All you have to do is make sure you close the door of the nursery when she sleeps. They like the formula from the baby's mouth, and that's not good." She gave him a questioning look. "I checked in one of your baby books."

"What's her name?"

"Abby?" He shrugged. "I don't know, that's what I've been calling her. I have a bag of kitty stuff in the other room." She lifted the kitten to her chest and pressed its silky fur to her cheek.

"Thank you, Jackie." He leaned forward and pecked her lips. They played with Abby for a few minutes until Karen rolled her eyes. "Honey, I have to pee again. Will you help me up?" She laid the kitten on the floor and swung her legs over the side of the couch. He grunted as he took her hands and pulled her to her feet. She began to walk, but stopped abruptly. "Oh, shit."

"What's wrong, Kare? Did you pee yourself?" He giggled, but the look on her face made him stop and think twice.

"My water just broke."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She gave birth on a Friday evening, after hours of labor. Will didn't leave her side for a second, holding her hand the whole time. After a night in the hospital, Will and Karen were allowed to bring their new daughter home.

----------

She was sitting in a rocking chair, watching her baby sleep peacefully in her crib, when Grace walked into the nursery. She smiled at the sight of Karen, so proud to be a mother. It was something she never thought she would witness, and she almost felt guilty for intruding on such a tender moment. Suddenly, Karen turned to face her, smiling as soon as their eyes connected.

"Hi, honey." Her voice was soft as she greeted her friend. She picked up the baby monitor and they left the room, closing the door behind them.

"How's motherhood?"

"I'll tell you once I get some sleep." They walked into the library, which was right across the hall from the nursery, and sat on the couch. The kitten immediately jumped on Karen's lap and she began to stroke it. "How's work? I never realized how much I'd miss being there when I can't be."

"Its fine, Jack's not a bad substitute assistant." She touched the kitten as well and smiled. "You know, I've always heard that cats are soothing. She's soft."

"She's rotten. Damn thing pees all over the place." She looked at Grace, noticing how nervous she seemed. It was odd. "Honey, what's going on? Your clothes match, and your cheeks are all pink."

"I'm in love."

"What?" Her eyes widened, and she had to think for a moment. She didn't even know Grace had been dating anyone. "With who?"

"Chris." She blinked a few times, in utter shock, before reaching for her friend's hand.

"I didn't know you were seeing each other."

"We weren't, technically. But we've been in touch for a year or so, and I kind of developed a little crush on him when I redid his apartment. You know, when you were wooing him."

"And he loves you too?"

"Yes. We're going to take things slow, to see if it's really going to work, but I've never felt like this, Kare."

"I'm happy for you, then." She leaned forward and hugged her friend, running her hands over her back. Grace quickly pulled away and tilted her head in question.

"Why don't you seem as happy as I thought you would be? I'm in love; that doesn't happen to me." She smiled largly and bounced a bit in excitement.

"I am happy for you, honey, honestly." The kitten jumped off her lap and left to play with a ball in the corner. "It's just kind of sudden."

"That's why we're taking things slow for a while." She put her hands on her hips.

"Don't give me that look. I know you didn't come over here to argue so take my happiness for you and run with it." She didn't want any confrontation at the moment. The baby was napping and she was hoping to get some sleep as well. "We can go to lunch some time and we can talk more, if you want. I'm just not myself today, okay?"

"You'd tell me if you thought it wasn't going to work, wouldn't you?"

"He's a really great guy. I think you should do whatever you think is right." She stood from the couch, Grace following and smiled.

"You look so sleepy." She returned the smile and gave her a hug. "Call me later." She pulled back and pecked her lips, before leaving the manse for her own apartment. Karen wavered for a moment before lying down on the couch, baby monitor in hand. She wasn't sure why Grace and Chris were in such a hurry to jump into a commitment, especially since she didn't even know they were attracted to one another. It was an odd situation, but she couldn't think much further before her eyes drifted closed. They baby woke her ten minutes later with a shrill cry.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She groaned as she heard crying through the monitor. Emily tended to only sleep for about two hours and then she would wake. Karen was growing increasingly exhausted. She lifted Will's arm from around her waist and stood from the bed, putting on her glasses.

As soon as she lifted the infant into her arms, the crying ceased. She wasn't hungry, her diaper was fine, and she wasn't sleepy. It was as if she only wanted to be held. Karen sighed and gently bounced the child in her arms.

"I'll get her this time." She turned her head towards Will as he entered the nursery, hair tousled from sleep.

"No, honey, you have to work tomorrow." He walked closer and kissed her lips.

"Go back to bed and turn off the monitor. I'll take care of her tonight." She thought for a moment before smiling sweetly. The baby was passed between parents, and she couldn't help but sigh in relief. Finally, a chance for sleep.

"There's an extra bottle in the warmer."

"Go to sleep." She smiled and he leaned down to leave a soft kiss on her lips. Little moments like that made her realize how much he cared for her, as well as her well-being.


	25. Chapter 25

Jack giggled as he watched Karen sleep on the couch, her baby resting on her chest. Two weeks had passed since the birth, but it was still odd to see a baby around. He walked over to the sleeping forms on the couch and began to reach for the baby. He assumed Karen would get a better rest if she didn't have a kid on her chest. But just as his hand came near, hers shot up and tightly gripped his wrist.

"This is the only way I can get her to sleep for more than two hours. Touch her and I'll kick your ass." She never opened her eyes and he giggled to himself. He began to walk out the door when her voice stopped him. "Poodle, you don't have to leave. Stay here with me."

"Why? What do you want to do?"

"Make out?" He laughed and sat on his knees by the couch. She finally opened her sleepy eyes, a smile playing on her lips. "I don't know, honey. I'm bored. Wait, why are you home?"

"Grace closed early. Chris is taking her to spend the weekend with his parents." She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Since when don't you like him?" He helped her slowly sit upright, and she laid her baby down on her stomach on the couch. She patted her back for a moment before shrugging.

"I like him. It's just a little strange that they decided to get together so soon after he and I stopped seeing each other. He always talked about how much he liked me, and he was always saying that he and Grace were just friends." She met his eyes, an odd look passing between them. "It just seems weird that he would move to her so quickly, if he was really being truthful with me."

"You think he's using her?"

"I don't know what for, honey." She stood and stretched her back a little.

"Now that you mention it, he is a little different."

"Well, I'm not going to say anything. She already thinks I'm not happy for her."

"We should have Will do it."

----------

"And then she grabbed her suitcase and walked out the door." Will took a sip of his wine and shrugged. Karen, who was seated on the counter while feeding the baby, raised an eyebrow to Jack.

"All I know is, Jack and I agree that there is something weird about their relationship."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She was sorting through the mail at her kitchen counter, tossing bills into a pile, when she came across a beautifully decorated envelope. She opened it and began to read the calligraphy on the small card. Will suddenly stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She jumped, but smiled when his lips began to tease her neck.

"What's that?" He pushed her hair to one shoulder while continuing to kiss her flesh.

"What's the big deal about marriage? It's from Stan. He's marrying a woman from our social circle." She sighed as his hands massaged her breasts. She quickly pushed him away. "Don't get me started if I can't finish."

"Sorry."

"Can you believe he invited us? I mean, I cheated on him."

"If you don't mind me saying so, you two were more of friends than you were husband and wife. Maybe that's all he cares about."

"Since when do we talk in 'maybes'?" He shrugged, sighing. Her mood swings were driving him crazy, especially since she hardly slept.

"Since we can't fuck." She rolled her eyes. She always thought that once the baby was born they could just fall into a comfortable routine of happiness. That was not exactly the case. She cared for the baby all day while he went to work, he came over to cook them dinner, and then they went to sleep. Since he was working, she was usually the one to get up with the baby.

"You want a blowjob?"

"That's not what I meant, and you know it." She walked over to him and grabbed him in her hand. He winced, for her grip was tight. "Kare…"

"Stop whining about your penis or I will remove it." She pulled her hand away and he took a step back from her, placing his bottled water on the counter. "You act like I'm not suffering too. I squeezed a fucking kid out of my body, okay. The last thing I need is your whining."

"You need to calm down." He placed his hands on her upper arms and locked his eyes with hers. "If you want to talk then let's sit down and talk."

"There's no point. I can't even have a conversation without crying interrupting."

"She just went to sleep. We have time." She bit her lip and began tapping her foot on the ground, trying not to let too many feelings get out.

"I'm losing my mind, Will. I don't sleep, I don't leave the manse, and I can't have sex. What the hell else is there? Do you know how hard it is for me to keep away from the liquor cabinet?" She began to cry and Will pulled her into a hug. He noticed how her mood changed by the minute. She was a pretty moody person before her pregnancy, but she was even worse when it came to sleep deprivation. "I can't function anymore."

"Karen, you are going to be fine, I promise." He walked over to the counter and lifted her onto the marble, sitting her in front of him. He stood between her legs and took her face in his hands. "This is a normal feeling, I'm sure of it. You just have to hang in there."

"Honey, I'm done. I can't do this anymore." She ran her hands through her hair and tried to stop sobbing, but it didn't work. She had let the floodgates down and they weren't as easily rebuilt.

"Stop crying, please." He pulled her into a hug and she held him tight. "Out of all the people in your life who have tried to break you, you're going to let a two week old baby make it happen?"

"She's vicious." He couldn't hold back his laughter. She pulled away and gently slapped his shoulder, smiling through tears. She brushed her fingers over her cheeks to wipe away her tears. "You suck."

"I thought you liked that." She slapped his shoulder again, jumping down from the counter. She stood on her tiptoes and placed a kiss on his lips, caressing his face with her hand. It was then that the baby monitor transmitted the sound of their crying child. She pulled away and groaned.

"She just went to sleep."


	26. Chapter 26

"Will, I don't want to go. I hate the way they look at me. It'll be even worse now." She placed Emily in the car-seat and strapped her in. Will smiled at her rant and brought her coat to her. They were expected at his parents' house for a family get together. His parents had been out of the country on vacation for a while and they hadn't had a chance to meet their new grandchild.

"You love my mom."

"Yeah, well, moms freak out when a woman steals their son."

"That happens when they get married."

"We have a child together. You're pretty much attached to me for life, whether you like it or not, honey." He rolled his eyes and lifted the baby seat from the center of the table. Karen grabbed the diaper bag and they began to walk out to his car. However, she stopped before they could make it through the door. "You know, they really only want to meet Emily. Maybe I should just…"

"Don't make me force you into the car." Her eyes narrowed at him in a slightly amused fashion.

"Fine." Her answer was short and they were soon on their way to his parents' house.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She anticipated the harsh looks, the comments, the judgment, but none of her anticipations mattered. Not one of his family members said or did anything that could have been considered harsh. They welcomed her with hugs and her child was soon taken from her arms to be passed around to whoever wanted to hold her. She kept a close eye on what was happening, but was put at ease when she saw how gentle everyone was with her.

"Karen, come help me in the kitchen." Marilyn's voice called for her and she soon found herself in the kitchen, trying to peel potatoes. She had maybe peeled potatoes only twice in her life, and it never turned out right. It was frustrating that something that was supposed to be so simple was so difficult for her. She had given up on the idea of cooking a long time ago. "You're doing it wrong."

"I know." She tried again to cut the peel, but the knife slipped and sliced her finger, deep. "Ouch, fuck." She dropped the potato and knife into the sink and grabbed a paper towel, wetting it and covering her small injury.

"No need for language, dear. It's not very ladylike." She pulled a small first-aide kit out of a drawer and put some spray on Karen's cut.

"Well, to be honest, I'm not much of a lady. Ouch." The spray burned and she tried to pull her hand away. Marilyn smiled and placed a bandage over her thumb.

"That's probably why Will likes you so much. You're real." The words were odd, and they made her feel awkward. She made eye contact with the woman, but remained speechless. "I know about you, Karen. I know how you and Will came to be a couple, and I must tell you that it's very surprising."

"Mrs. Truman…"

"Don't interrupt me. The bottom line is, after all is said and done, I think you are good for my son."

"What are you trying to say?" Marilyn rolled her eyes and grabbed Karen's shoulders in her hands. She was obviously frustrated at the speed of Karen's mind.

"Let me put it in words you'll understand. I like you, so don't fuck it up." She released her with a small push before walking from the room to hold her granddaughter. Karen's shocked expression faded, and she began to laugh to herself.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Slowly the baby began sleeping longer each night. After a couple more weeks she was only getting up twice a night, and Karen was very thankful. She enjoyed being able to bathe Emily, feed her a bottle, and put her in bed by eight thirty.

"She's asleep." Karen walked into her bedroom and joined Will on her bed. He hadn't spent one night at his apartment since the birth of their child, and she liked it. He smiled and placed his paperwork on the bedside table. "Why are you in bed so early?"

"Its comfortable, and my feet hurt." She placed her head on his shoulder, and he rested his head atop hers.

"Did you go running after work?"

"Yeah, but I didn't realize how out of shape I am." She giggled and met his eyes.

"I'm still carrying all this baby-weight. Believe me, honey, I understand." He smiled and pecked her lips. They sat in silence for a moment, enjoying the bliss that was so rarely experienced.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you earlier, your mom sent a congratulations card." She scoffed and moved from his arms to get under the blankets.

"I wonder where she's living now. The last time I heard, she was thinking about moving to Tokyo or something." He got to his knees and rolled her onto her stomach. "Honey, the doctor said…"

"I'm not trying to have sex with you; I'm giving you a massage." She sighed as his hands began to add pressure to her back muscles. "You'd think my foreplay would be better than just flipping you over."

"Don't worry, honey, it is."

"Good." He rubbed the back of her neck and she sighed again. She didn't realize how much tension had been building in her muscles until it was suddenly being released. "Do you ever wonder what Emily will be like when she's a teenager?" She began to laugh at his inquiry.

"She's four weeks old, honey. I'm just wondering when she'll sleep all night."

"What do you think she'll say when we tell her how we got together? Or, will she have good values? What if she doesn't listen to us?" Karen rolled over onto her back and looked into his eyes as he hovered over her.

"Honey, its way too early to be stressing about all of that, don't you think? I mean, if we raise her the best way we can, then I think she'll be just fine." He nodded and pecked her lips before moving to lie on his side, facing her. "Are you worried about something, Will?" He shrugged, and she rolled on her side to face him, pulling the blanket closer to her face for comfort.

"What did you want to be when you were a kid? What was your dream career?"

"I wanted to be a Forensic Scientist until I realized I am horrible at science. Then I changed my major to English Literature, and that's what my degree is in. What did you want to be?"

"I wanted to be a writer. Then my parents decided that I should go to law school, and that's how I became a lawyer."

"You're not happy with your job, are you, honey?" She reached up to caress his cheek with her fingers. He shook his head and frowned. "Why don't you just quit?"

"What would I do if I just quit my job? I have bills to pay and a child to support."

"Move in with me, and I'll support you. I have more money than I know what to do with."

"No, I wouldn't feel right about that." He sighed and rested his head on the pillow. "I'm sorry, Kare. I don't mean to bother you with this. I just get this way sometimes."

"Don't apologize, honey, I'm glad you're telling me. Nobody likes their life all the time. But if you keep feeling this way you should do something about it. You deserve to be happy." She leaned closer and placed her arm around his middle, hugging him tight to her. "Move in with me."

"Do we really want to take that step? You and Jack are both living here and…"

"Then Jack can move into your apartment and you can live here. Either way, we're going to pay his rent." He laughed and held her in his arms, more assuring than before.

"Okay, I'll move in."

"And you'll quit your job?" Their eyes met and he shook his head.

"It wouldn't be right."

"If you quit your job, which you hate, then you can start writing again. Honey, why not write if it's something you like to do?"

"It's not realistic, Kare. It's like you suddenly deciding that you wanted to study Forensics." She groaned and rolled on top of him, pressing her lips against his.

"We can make it realistic. Just think about it." And he agreed that he would.


	27. Chapter 27

Karen awoke to someone shaking her violently. Will was spending one last evening in his apartment before he completely moved into the manse. He had lived in the same building since he graduated from college, so it held some sort of emotional meaning to him. It was especially important to spend one last evening there because he was closing that chapter of his life. It was the beginning of his future.

"Grace!" Karen sat up and pushed her friend away from her body. "What the fuck is your problem? Do you know what time it is?" She opened her eyes all the way, rubbing them.

"I need you." Grace's voice was soft and sad, and it quickly changed Karen's demeanor. She grabbed her friend's hand and pulled her into a seated position on the bed.

"What's going on, honey?" She burst into tears and rushed into Karen's arms, starling her. "Gracie, you're freaking me out. What happened?" Grace pulled away and turned on the light, giving off a blinding effect. It was then that her bloodshot eyes were revealed. Karen cupped her face in her hands, caressing her cheeks, wiping away a few tears. "Oh, honey."

"We were having a romantic dinner at his apartment, and watching some movies. We started having sex, and he said someone else's name. Then when I asked him about it, he yelled at me. I was so pissed and scared. I just left. Do you know how embarrassing that is?" Her tears flooded her face again. "I'm in love with him, Karen, and I don't know what to do."

"You'll stay here tonight." She scooted over and Grace kicked off her shoes before turning off the light and crawling into bed with Karen, whose arms were tight around her. She pulled her friend close and ran her fingers through her brassy red hair. "I'm so sorry, honey."

She held Grace until she fell asleep, her tears finally subsiding. She couldn't believe what had happened. Chris was always such a sweet man, and it wasn't like him to not be straight forward about feelings. If she had to think of it, he was always expecting deep conversations, with everyone. Perhaps it was the fact that he had been drinking. Karen had been around enough alcohol to know that it could drastically change a person, usually for the worst. She was just relieved that Grace had come to her, not putting up with less than she deserved. She only wished her friend could find someone who would love her all the way, and give her a life she deserved.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A cry was heard through the baby monitor and Grace jumped, waking quickly. She turned to find that Karen was gone, presumably with her child. She listened as her best friend's voice cooed the infant, and, even though she felt terrible, she smiled. The lullaby that was being sung was soft and sweet, and she listened as the nursery became quieter.

Karen was rocking Emily in a small chair, feeding her the bottle that was in the warmer. She sang a song that her father used to sing to her, one that she could never forget. When her child's eyes closed, and she succumbed to sleep, Karen smiled and sat the bottle on the table before lifting the infant to her shoulder.

"Karebear, the front door was unlocked." She looked up to see Jack in her doorway. He had gone down to check after he heard a noise and was quick to find Karen, making sure she was alright.

"Its fine, honey, it was only Grace." He tilted his head to the side and walked closer. Karen stood from her rocking chair and placed the child in the crib, swaddling her in the small blanket.

"Is everything okay?"

"Not really, but I'll let her tell you if she wants."

"Chris did something, right?" Their eyes met, and she nodded.

"She's just a little embarrassed about it, but she's fine."

"I knew he was no good."

"Should we have said something?"

"Will, did." He shrugged and they walked out of the nursery, closing the door. Grace heard the door close and she sat up the bed, suddenly wanting to hear more about their doubts. It was sobering to hear them talking about her like that. "I just hope they don't work it out. She deserves better than him."

"It's nothing to worry about now, Poodle. Go back to bed and we can talk to her at breakfast." He pecked her lips and they each went to their respective rooms. When Karen entered, Grace was sitting up in her bed. "Honey, why aren't you asleep?"

"The monitor was still on."

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's a habit to just leave it." She crawled into the bed and lay down, but Grace didn't move. "Grace?"

"You guys knew there was something off and you didn't tell me?"

"You heard what we said?" She sat up and locked her eyes with Grace's. "We just thought we were being crazy. I mean, I was with him for a while and he never gave me any reason to worry. I assumed it would be the same with you, better even because..."

"I don't blame you guys." She scoffed, finally lying down. There was a long pause before she spoke again, a whisper. "It was your name he called, when we were making love." Karen's eyes widened and her heart jumped as Grace fell back into her slumber.


	28. Chapter 28

"I can't believe he said your name?"

"Yeah, honey. How weird is that?" She put the last of his shirts on a hanger and in his closet. He was finally unpacked and moved in. Grace had left after breakfast, deciding she would stay with Karen for a few nights. At that point in time, all four friends were living in the same place. "We only went on a few dates. It's not like we really had anything."

"Grace was talking about moving back to my old apartment with Jack. I think it'll be good for her, maybe for him too." She walked over to the bed, where he was sitting, and flopped down next to him.

"Jack's fun to live with, I'm sure she'll be fine."

"Hey, I'm fun to live with too." He broke their little sad moment with a sort of joke, and she smiled. He leaned over and kissed her, brushing her bottom lip with the tip of his tongue. She pulled him close when he tried to break the kiss and pushed him down onto his back. Her legs were on either side of him, and her hands made their way down his chest, unbuttoning his shirt.

"You're fun to do a lot of things with." Her words were muffled as she kissed his neck, licking and biting his flesh. He took a deep breath.

"You are too, but I thought we couldn't yet." He took her wrists in his hands and stopped her ministrations.

"Oh, I'm sure it'll be fine, honey." She pecked his lips again and wiggled a little on top of him. "Come on."

"The doctor said…"

"We could when I felt ready." She freed her wrists and ran her hands through his hair. "I think you know how ready I am."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"I'll tell you if you do, okay?" She teased his lips with the tip of her tongue, hoping to persuade him. He took her tongue in his mouth and rolled them over, pinning her to the mattress. He was hesitant at first, but once she reached down his pants and took him in her hand, he loosened up. She moved her hand, and smiled as he sighed in her ear.

He reached to pull his pants off, tossing them to the floor, as she lifted her dress above her hips. He mounted her once again and their lips met. The feeling of his hands over her breasts made her quietly moan into his mouth. He reached up to her shoulders and pushed his hands under the fabric of her dress, pulling it down her arms to reveal her bra clad chest. He ran his hands up her thighs to remove her panties, sliding them down her legs. He didn't even bother to remove her dress, which was limply resting around her stomach, as he removed his boxers and slowly entered her.

She gasped, his entrance causing her a slight bit of pain. He didn't move, allowing her to get used to him. Her hands were tightly gripping his shoulders and she bit her bottom lip to ease the pain. When she felt she was ready, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, his signal to move. He slowly began to thrust, and she held him close with her arms.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" She whimpered, feeling as if she was being ripped apart on the inside. Perhaps she wasn't ready after all.

"No, honey, please stop." Her voice came in a rush, a painful sound. He stopped moving instantly and she let out a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Will, I…"

"Don't worry." He pecked her lips and pulled out of her body, slowly, as if she were going to break. She appreciated his care, but felt horrible for the fact that she led him on. That wasn't his main interest at the moment, though. He was more concerned for her well-being. Once he rolled off her, she sat up on the bed, running her hands over her face. "Karen, it's alright. We can wait."

"You want me to…"

"No, I want to wait for you." He knew she would ask a question she had asked before, and his answer was still no. He didn't want her to worry about pleasuring him, when she couldn't get any of her own. She gave him an innocent smile, genuine, and she reached down to grab her panties from the floor.

"Damn it, I'm bleeding again." She thought it had ceased, but she was apparently mistaken. She rushed to the bathroom, pulling the sleeves of her dress over her shoulders along the way. When she returned to him, she only shrugged before walking to the bed and joining him under the covers. "I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing." He smiled and pulled her close. "I love you way too much to base our entire relationship on sex."

"You're sweet to me, honey." He placed a kiss to the top of her head.

"It's hard for me to be any other way to you."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Karen watched as Emily's eyes darted about the room, curiously. She was sitting on the floor in her living room, flipping through television channels as her baby lay on a soft blanket next to her. She had a cushy toy in her hand and she was slobbering all over it. Karen smiled.

"Is that good?" She took the toy in between her fingers and pulled it from the child's mouth, tapping it to her chin. She smiled and kicked her legs at the attention. Karen looked at the clock and stood. "It's time to eat anyway." She lifted the baby from the ground and they went to the kitchen for a bottle.

"Karen?" She turned when she heard her name being called from the entryway of her home. When she walked to see who it was her heart began to beat faster. The woman always made her a little nervous. "Mrs. Truman, what are you doing here?"

"Well, you've been a mother for a whole month, and I am here to see how it's treating you." She looked her up and down, sort of judgmentally. She was wearing a pair of loose fitting pants, a baby puke covered tee shirt, a thick rimmed pair of glasses, and her hair was falling out of a ponytail. Marilyn shook her head. "You look terrible, dear."

"What do you expect?" She rolled her eyes. "Who do I have to impress?"

"Will's graduating class." She opened a small invitation in front of Karen's face for her to read. "The reunion is in a week, I got the invitation by mistake."

"He hasn't said anything to me. How do I even know he wants to go?"

"He's successful and his girlfriend is a rich socialite, he'll want to go. Now, give me that baby and go get dressed. We have some shopping to do."

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They returned two hours later, each exhausted from the trip. Marilyn had insisted that Karen try on every dress they found, shoes to match. She ended up spending more money than she meant to, but she satisfied her lover's mother in the process.

"Do you want to stay for dinner? Chef could probably whip something up for us."

"Will doesn't cook?"

"Not when we have guests. I'm going to go lay her down." She lifted her daughter and took her sleeping form to the nursery. When she returned downstairs, the monitor in hand, she found Will speaking with his mother on the couch. "Hi, honey. How was work?" He smiled and stood to peck her lips.

"It was the same as usual. You're wearing your contacts, and you're dressed. What have you two been doing?"

"Oh, William, you've received an invitation for your class reunion, and I took Karen shopping for a dress." She stood from the couch and hugged her son, pecked Karen's cheek. "I would have loved to stay for dinner, but I'm meeting your brother in a half hour." And she left, just as quickly as she had entered, with such a presence about her.

"Your mother wore me out." She smiled and stood on her tiptoes to give him a proper greeting, brushing her lips across his. "Now, tell me you want to go because that shopping trip couldn't have been for nothing."

"Who are we going to get to watch Emily?"

"We can't take her with us?" She pouted, her bottom lip sticking out further than usual. He smiled and kissed her again.

"They say the first time you leave your kid with someone else is the most difficult."

"If that's true, I get to drink that night."


	29. Chapter 29

She sat the monitor down on the vanity and looked at herself in the mirror. The sounds of her running bath water were sounding in the background of her mind. It was late at night, and Will was still at work, late again. He had been thinking about quitting his job, but they only spoke of it once.

Jack was currently packing the last of his clothes, and had offered to watch Emily while she bathed. She was thankful and hurried to the bathroom, still taking the monitor in a form of habit. Ether way, she was happy to have some time to herself.

But having time for herself might not have been necessarily good at the moment. She wasn't feeling well, and a wave of melancholy was rushing over her. She felt stuck in life, even though she should have been incredibly happy. She was in love with a man who loved her, and they had a beautiful child together. What was there to be sad about?

Settling was something she wished she could do, but she just couldn't. She wanted to be free, in a sense. She didn't like the fact that she was basically a housewife, and that idea was something she resented. As a child, her mother had always told her not to let herself settle for less than she deserves, and nobody deserves to be a housewife.

That was probably why she could never stay in a relationship for too long before she wanted out. Her marriages had all failed, all of her relationships failed; all except for the one with Will. She was glad to say that she was still very in love with him, but staying in love was never her problem. Keeping a relationship was.

She opened the cabinet door and pulled out a pill bottle. It had been a little less than a year since the last time she had been high, drunk as well. She read the label and sighed, her mind reeling. It would feel so good to be able to take a deep breath, feeling serine. She poured two pills into her palm, but one thought to her month old baby in the nursery, and she put the bottle back in the cabinet and slammed the door closed. She looked at her reflection and shook her head before she walked away to take her bath.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"It's nice to meet you." She smiled and shook hands with one of Will's former classmates. It didn't take her long to figure out that cliques from high school were still intact. She hadn't kept in touch with her graduating class, barely knowing them. Her family moved around so much when she was a teenager that she never felt comfortable with classmates, only having gone to their school for a short time. She could also tell that she and Will had a lot in common, neither of them fit in.

"You want to go? We can pick up some Chinese and go get Emily." She finished her second glass of champagne and sat it on the table, smiling at him.

"Honey, we've only been here for a half hour. Why don't you go and see what everyone's been up to? That's what you're supposed to do at these things, right?"

"I don't know." They laughed and she took his hand under the table. "We could dance." She smiled and stood, pulling him to the dance floor. Her arms wrapped around his neck as he pulled her close and they began to sway. "Thank you for coming with me. Last time, I brought Grace, and she started acting like she was the one who went to school with them. By the end of the night, I think half of the class believed her."

"This kind of stuff is fun when it's for someone else, honey." He leaned down and pecked her lips, eliciting a smile from her. Her eyes were sparkling madly. "I love you." He gave her a strange look, knowing how she hated feelings. She only shrugged. "I don't say it enough."

"That doesn't mean I don't know it." He kissed her again, lingering a little longer before pulling away. "Let's leave."

"Honey, we haven't been here very long."

"I don't fit in here, Kare. Let's go on a date."

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His tongue explored her mouth as her arms wrapped tighter around his neck. They were in the back of the limo, with a raised partition, making out like teenagers. His fingers tickled her shoulder as he slid her thin strap down her arm. She moved to straddle him, her shoes falling to the floorboard of the car in her haste. Suddenly, the car came to a stop, sending them sailing from the seat to land on the floor. She groaned as he landed on top of her and they began to laugh.

"You two are early." Grace checked her watch when Will and Karen walked through the door of hers and Jack's apartment. Karen went straight to Jack's bedroom to get her daughter, giving Grace a smile, as Will sat on his old couch. "Was it fun?"

"I realized that the people I hated in high school, I'm still not too fond of." She laughed and sat next to him. "How was Emily?"

"Oh, the usual, she cried every time I tried to pick her up and giggled whenever Jack was around."

"Kids, come look at this." Karen poked her head out from the hallway, a look of amusement on her face. The two friends stood and followed her to Jack's room. They all smiled at the sight of a sleeping Jack, with Emily nestled softly in his arms.

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She squeezed his hips with her legs, pulling him deeper as his pace quickened. His lips caressed her shoulder, leaving small marks behind. A sigh escaped her lips and she arched her back, pulling him closer with her arms around his neck. It felt so good to be together again, their stomachs pulsating in unison.

Her hands grasped his back, her nails digging into his muscular flesh, and he found her lips in a rough kiss. She could see everything in his eyes, his emotions and level of pleasure. It made her smile to know that she was the cause of his excitement, his satisfaction. His hands gripped her hips, and he rested a little more of his weight on her.

She, suddenly, let go. Her orgasm rushed through her veins and ruptured within her soul. She moaned, a little louder than expected, but she couldn't control herself. Sweat poured from their skin, she bit his lips as they continued to move together. Within a moment he came as well, plowing into her until the waves of pleasure subsided. He collapsed on top of her and they gasped for air.

Naked bodies brushed one another throughout the night, not once being interrupted by crying. They consumed each other's souls and felt the blissfulness of being happy, even if it only happened in the depths of night.


	30. Chapter 30

"Oh, Jackie, this is going to be so great." She smiled and jumped up and down. He laughed and placed his hand to her cheek to wipe off a smear of dark blue paint. He only succeeded in smearing it even more, but he didn't say anything and left it on her face.

"Yeah, but how do you know he'll like it?"

"Because, honey, he doesn't have a room all to himself here. I have the library and my aromatherapy room, but he doesn't have his own room. And an office is just what he needs if he is going to start writing again."

"How did you get him to agree to write?" She shrugged and sat the paintbrush down on the dish of paint.

"He doesn't really know about it, but I do know that he wants to." Jack smiled and wrapped an arm around her, pecking her lips. Just then Emily began to fuss, as they heard through the small white speaker.

"Can I take her home with me? We could have a sleepover!" He bounced in front of her, but she shook her head. "Oh, come on, Karebear. She needs a social life."

"She's two months old." She raised an eyebrow.

"Please, she'll be fine."

"I don't know, Poodle." He took both of her hands in his and gave her a puppy-dog look. "Jack."

"Come to think of it, with Emily in my care, you and Will can have a night all to yourselves. Doesn't that sound nice?" He swung their hands back and forth, knowing that he was getting closer to an acceptable response. "No interruptions, a surprise for him." She still shook her head, not convinced. "Alcohol."

"Bring her back tomorrow at ten."

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She worked for hours to finish painting his office. She opened windows to help the paint dry and, once that was finished, she elected Rosario's help to move in the new desk and chairs, a few bookcases and anything else he could possibly need for an office. And when she was finished, she placed a brand-new laptop on the desk. She and Jack had begun working when Will left for work, and she was finished by four o'clock, an hour before he would leave for home.

She hurried upstairs and took a bath, shaving her legs for the first time in a week, before getting dressed in a purple dress, long and silky. She wanted to look good for him, or at least get dressed. It wasn't unless she was leaving the manse that she dressed anymore, so it was definitely a big deal. She poured two glasses of vodka with lemon juice, and she waited for him at the door.

"Hi, honey, how was work?" She smiled when he entered the door, handing him a glass and taking his briefcase. He narrowed his eyes, but answered her question.

"I got fired." He downed his drink, coughing a little, and walked into the kitchen. She followed. "Apparently, the boss doesn't like it when you tell him to fuck off." He turned to really look at her for the first time since he walked through the door. "You look beautiful, Kare. Where's Emily?"

"Jack wanted a sleepover." She thought for a moment about his situation. She didn't want him to think she didn't care, because she most definitely did, but she thought his surprise might make him feel better. "I have a present for you, that's why I said yes." He opened a beer from the fridge and gave her a soft smile. "Do you want to see?"

"Yeah, I want to see." She smiled like a child and took his hand in hers, pulling him down the hallway to his new office. They stopped outside the door, but he only shrugged. "I don't understand, this is your liquor storage."

"Not anymore, honey. Close your eyes." He complied and she led him into the room, closing the door behind them. "Okay, open them."

"Oh, Karen." He looked around, his eyes wide with interest. "When did you have this done?"

"I didn't have it done, I did it myself. Well, Jack and Rosario helped. Do you like it? It's supposed to be a place for you to write, see. And it's at the perfect time, you know, because of your job." She walked over to the laptop and smiled to him. He walked over to her and took her in his arms, pressing his lips hard against hers. She sighed at the surprise and wrapped her arms around his neck. They smiled when he pulled away. "So, you like it?" He chuckled, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her feet from the ground.

"Let me show you how much."

_To be continued…_


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